ANTHONY BARRY once studied every throw-in taken in the 2018-19 Prem season for his Pro-Licence dissertation.
That is a staggering total of 16,380… so no wonder it took him 60 HOURS!
But it shows his incredible depth of analysis that helped propel him from lower-league journeyman to Thomas Tuchel’s No 2 with England.
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Barry’s study – titled The Undervalued Set-Piece – was part of the 2020 course that also included Prem legends Frank Lampard, Michael Carrick and Kolo Toure.
The Liverpudlian was the youngest participant in the group at just 33 but he left his mark on the household names.
So much so that Lampard took Barry, now 38, from Wigan to Chelsea as one of his backroom team in 2020.
Barry was then inherited by Tuchel when he replaced Lampard in January 2021.
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Tuchel is clearly a huge fan, taking him to Bayern Munich last year – when they paid Chelsea £1million in compensation.
Now they have made it the hat-trick with England, who were today proclaiming his appointment as the Englishman at the right hand of the German Tuchel.
Barry hails Tuchel as a ‘genius’ and in interviews has referenced how his mentor focuses on behaviour as much as patterns of play and use of space.
Last season was not their finest with Bayern failing to win the Bundesliga but now they are back.
This is Tuchel’s first job in international football but not Barry’s – he has also worked for both Belgium and Portugal under Roberto Martinez.
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Reporter apologises to Thomas Tuchel for ‘flippant’ comment in first England press conference
The Spaniard spent much of his playing career in the English lower leagues and perhaps that is where his admiration of Barry stems from.
His CV certainly screams ‘journeyman’.
After being released by Everton as a teenager and then failing to make the grade at Coventry, midfielder Barry had stints at Accrington Stanley, Yeovil, Chester, Wrexham, Fleetwood and Forest Green Rovers.
Barry can at least claim to have played in a major Wembley match – Yeovil’s 2-0 defeat by Blackpool in the 2007 League One play-off final.
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He began his senior career at Stanley and played a big part in the climb out of the Conference and back into the Football League in 2006.
Barry later returned at Accrington for another stint and left his mark on owner Andy Holt.
He told SunSport: “It’s fantastic to think that one of our old players is going to be helping England’s bid for the 2026 World Cup.
“True enough, the new head coach is German but his assistant cut his teeth as a player up here in Lancashire, English through and through.
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“It would be wonderful to think that Barry could help the Three Lions to glory.
“Everything I knew about him when he was with us, and everything I’ve learned about him since as a coach says he really deserves to have this opportunity.
ANDY DILLON: Thomas Tuchel has all the ingredients to become a classic England manager – tactical nous, drive and a tangled love life
By Andy Dillon
THOMAS TUCHEL possesses all the ingredients to become a classic England manager.
Tactical nous, drive, energy, experience – a tangled love life.
English football should welcome back the most explosive, dynamic, charismatic and impossibly tall and gangly coach to have lit up the Premier League.
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Chelsea’s colourful former boss has been leading a settled life in Munich of late.
Far enough away from ex-wife Sissi but close enough to see his two daughters.
Walking his dog in the streets in the east of Germany’s most fashionable city, residing in the posh Bogenhausen area. Living relatively quietly with his Brazilian girlfriend.
Tuchel is a vastly different personality to the man who led England quietly but assuredly to the brink of World Cups and European Championships.
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An excitable nature can make him hard to handle for those seeking calm and who like to impose their way on a manager they view very much as an underling.
“Anthony came back to us from his travels on loan at first in 2015 just as I was talking over and he was a big influence.
“He was always a deep thinker about the game but he was always a hard worker too.
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“Anthony’s come from the wrong side of the tracks, if you like, but having to graft the way all players did back in our Conference days or when we got back into League Two has stood him in good stead.
“Some people are complaining that the FA haven’t brought in an Englishman. But here we are, little old Stanley, having helped Anthony to reach these heights.
“This proves that the English pyramid does work and it’s a fantastic compliment to us that Anthony started out here.
“I followed his career as a coach, especially, and nobody I speak to tells me that he hasn’t deserved what he’s achieved so far.
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“It’s brilliant that someone who helped Stanley to history when we came back up into the Football League might now help England to new history and another World Cup triumph.
“It’s a really proud day for us up here, thinking of someone who started out in our little corner of England and has risen so far.
“For those who don’t know I can tell them this – there isn’t a harder worker or a more committed, intelligent coach than our Anthony.”
Diego Lopes may or may not find himself in a UFC championship fight later this month.
The fan-favorite Brazilian will serve as the official backup for the UFC featherweight title fight between champion Ilia Topuria and former champ Max Holloway on Oct. 26 at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi. This means Lopes (26-6 MMA, 5-1 UFC) has been training and will weigh in for the bout, just in case either headliner is forced to withdraw from the bout.
So who would Lopes rather face in an ideal scenario: Topuria or Holloway?
“I definitely would rather fight with Ilia for the undisputed title. That would be amazing,” Lopes told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “We’ve also really analyzed everything. We’ve sat down to analyze both fighters. People might take this the wrong way and say, ‘No, I don’t believe him,’ but I think for me, a fight against Topuria would be a better matchup for my style.
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“It’s a fight that suits me. Against Max, it’s a fight where we have to mount a more complex strategy with no errors. With Topuria, as well, I’m not saying no, but I think against him things would be more favorable because I like to exchange and clash, and I hit hard. I’m capable of knocking out people. And since Ilia throws with everything and I throw with everything, we can say it’s a shootout and let’s see who falls first. So the fight against Ilia definitely suits more my style.”
Lopes previously told MMA Junkie that his dream fight would be against Holloway (26-7 MMA, 22-7 UFC). However, under this scenario, if he were to fight Holloway it would likely be for an interim title, given that Topuria (15-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) is the champion. This makes a potential fight with Topuria a better choice.
Lopes’ services won’t be needed if both fighters make weight and stay on course. If the fight does go down, Lopes sides with the former champion.
“I’m still giving an edge to Holloway due to all the experience he has in that octagon and all the fighters he’s faced,” Lopes said. “He’s also never been knocked out, but we know anything can happen, and Ilia has power in his hands. However, I’m still giving the advantage to Max.”
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.
Check out the Hablemos MMA YouTube channel for Spanish-language videos and interviews with MMA Junkie’s Danny Segura.
Be sure to visit the MMA Junkie Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with fans of mixed martial arts.
Liverpool and Manchester City are interested in Inter Milan’s Nicolo Barella, 27, but the Italy midfielder is also on the radar of Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external
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Arsenal are following the progress of Red Bull Salzburg and Slovenia forward Benjamin Sesko, 21, as they begin to plan for next summer’s transfer window. (Football London), external
Crystal Palace are not willing to entertain any offers for 26-year-old Senegal forward Ismaila Sarr in January. (Football Insider), external
Manchester United have added Turkey boss and former Italy striker Vincenzo Montella, 50, to their shortlist of potential candidates to replace Dutch boss Erik ten Hag, 54, at Old Trafford. (Ajansspor – in Turkish), external
Ten Hag will have to oversee an immediate improvement in results and performances at Manchester United if he is to keep his job beyond the next international break. (Mirror), external
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Manchester United are lining up midfield replacements for Denmark international Christian Eriksen, 32, as well as Brazil international Casemiro, 32. (Football Insider), external
United are also clear favourites to sign Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong, 27, if he leaves Barcelona next summer. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external
Real Madrid are considering a January move for 18-year-old England youth international Josh Acheampong, with Liverpool, Newcastle and Tottenham also interested in the Chelsea right-back. (Independent), external
THOMAS TUCHEL vowed he will toughen up England to win the World Cup.
The nation’s first German coach swept into Wembley yesterday claiming English physicality is crucial to ending the painful 60-year wait to be world champions again.
Former Chelsea boss Tuchel made his Blues side horrible to play against as they won the Champions League, Club World Cup and Uefa Super Cup within 18 months.
Tuchel, 51, said: “We should play an attacking style of football and try to emphasise a physical side of the game — because this is what English football is all about.
“This is what excites our supporters and what suits the players, who are from the best league in the world.
“We have a group of young, hungry players and are desperate to win a title, so we have all the ingredients.
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“We should try to implement this into our style of play.
“It’s important to have clear messages and not overcomplicate. And to find a clear structure where we can demand certain things from the players and where we can also show their full potential.
“This is then my job to find this structure and then demand it from the players.”
Tuchel, out of work since leaving Bayern Munich in the summer, has signed a £7.5million, 18-month contract.
He said: “We can spell it out very clearly why we are here and what we want to achieve. We are not shy of it.
“It’s not a gamble so let’s judge it when we have done it. If we decide it was a failure, we will not continue.
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“If we decide it was not a failure then we will continue. Let’s see.
“I am already excited. It suits my passion to push this group of players and to be part of this federation, which has such a strong record in recent tournaments and to push it over the line and put a second star on the shirt.”
Tuchel’s energetic style took Chelsea to the summit of club football, with players like defensive hardman Antonio Rudiger at the heart of his team.
He now wants to embrace the physicality of the Premier League and turn it on our rivals.
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ANDY DILLON: Thomas Tuchel has all the ingredients to become a classic England manager – tactical nous, drive and a tangled love life
By Andy Dillon
THOMAS TUCHEL possesses all the ingredients to become a classic England manager.
Tactical nous, drive, energy, experience – a tangled love life.
English football should welcome back the most explosive, dynamic, charismatic and impossibly tall and gangly coach to have lit up the Premier League.
Advertisement
Chelsea’s colourful former boss has been leading a settled life in Munich of late.
Far enough away from ex-wife Sissi but close enough to see his two daughters.
Walking his dog in the streets in the east of Germany’s most fashionable city, residing in the posh Bogenhausen area. Living relatively quietly with his Brazilian girlfriend.
Tuchel is a vastly different personality to the man who led England quietly but assuredly to the brink of World Cups and European Championships.
Advertisement
An excitable nature can make him hard to handle for those seeking calm and who like to impose their way on a manager they view very much as an underling.
Under Gareth Southgate, England reached the semi-finals at least in three of the last four major tournaments but are still waiting to add to the 1966 World Cup triumph.
And Tuchel, going into his first job as an international coach, added: “We cannot only focus on the results, we cannot hide behind a certain style of play which does not give us results. It has to go hand in hand.
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“They have to be balanced and our style of play has to bring results.”
Tuchel spent last season at Bayern Munich alongside Harry Kane.
The pair enjoy a close relationship. But Tuchel did not talk to England’s 68-goal record scorer before taking the plunge with the Three Lions.
He said: “I did not speak to Harry. I didn’t speak to Gareth.
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“Normally, I never do this. I get my own feeling, I get my own point of view and let it sink in and reflect on it.
“You know how highly I think of Harry and how much I fought to bring him to Bayern Munich.
“He is already on his way to being a legend in English football.”
On Wednesday the world’s leading MMA promotion announced that UFC 312 is set to take place on Feb. 9 at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia.
Australia has become a staple of the UFC’s annual rotation in the past few years with the promotion recently holding UFC 305 at the RAC Arena in Perth.
This is the UFC’s first trip to Sydney since UFC 293 in September of 2023. That evening played host to one of the greatest upsets in UFC history when Sean Strickland put on a masterclass performance to take the UFC middleweight title from Israel Adesanya.
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Overall this is the promotion’s seventh trip to Qudos Bank Arena and comes just one week after the UFC heads back to Riyadh for its second ever trip to Saudi Arabia.
At this time no fights have been announced for UFC 312, though there is already speculation that the event could be headlined by a featherweight title fight between former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and the winner of the upcoming main event between Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway at UFC 308.
Dutchman Wesley Plaisier beat Josh Rock 8-7 in a thrilling final at Players Championship 28 in Wigan to win his first PDC title.
Rock led 4-3 after a 111 checkout before Plaisier put the finishing line in sight by winning four of the following six legs to lead 7-6.
A 112 checkout from Rock forced a decider but the Englishman wasted six match darts as Plaisier wrapped up the win with double tops.
The 34-year-old is just the fourth player to win a PDC ranking title without holding a PDC Tour card.
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“It’s unbelievable,” Plaisier said.
“Every game is tough, but the final was a really hard game. I was hoping and praying I would get another chance.
“I’ve been playing well all year and this is the crown to top it off.”
Plaisier finished runner-up at two Players Championship events in July, losing to Ross Smith and Jonny Clayton in the respective finals.
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He won seven matches in total, beating Matt Campbell, Ritchie Edhouse, Florian Hempel, Krzysztof Ratajski, Jose de Sousa and Danny Noppert, before wrapping up his remarkable run with victory against Rock.
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