The early days of the Stephen Kenny era were littered with plenty of upheaval in his Ireland coaching team, although there was a sense that they now had a strong foundation to build from going forward. After the departures of Damien Duff and Alan Kelly, the arrivals of Anthony Barry and Dean Kiely certainly shored up the management team.
Barry in particular was seen as an excellent addition. A coach with a rising reputation and who had been impressing at Chelsea, the Englishman is said to have made quite the impression during his time with Ireland. His work on set-pieces was seen as especially integral to Ireland's improvements over the latter half of 2021.
However, Kenny is now set to lose him.
Anthony Barry leaves Ireland coaching team
The FAI have confirmed that Anthony Barry has stepped away from the Ireland setup, instead taking on a similar role with Belgium.
Ironically, Barry's first game with his new team is set to come against his former employers in a March friendly at the Aviva Stadium.
Speaking to the FAI, this is what Barry had to say on his decision to move on:
I've thoroughly enjoyed my time with the team and really enjoyed working with Stephen and the entire backroom staff and players. I've been fortunate to work with some outstanding managers in my career and Stephen certainly falls into that bracket.
The opportunity to move on to Belgium and to have the chance to take part in the World Cup Finals was one I felt I couldn't turn down. Of course, I wish all of the team the very best of luck for the future.
Stephen Kenny thanked the former Fleetwood Town for his contributions during his time with the team, adding that "we respect his decision and he leaves with our best wishes".
Considering Belgium's status at the top ranked team in the world and the chance to perhaps win a World Cup later this year, Barry's decision is an understandable one. This does not mean that it is not a major blow Stephen Kenny's plans, however.
It remains to be seen who could be his replacement on the coaching staff. A number of former Ireland internationals, such as John O'Shea, are currently involved with the national team's various youth setups and likely to be considered. The Anthony Barry appointment would also suggest that Kenny will not be afraid to think outside of the box when it comes to filling this role for a third time in less than two years.
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