Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel has shut down recent reports which linked Anthony Barry with the vacant job as Ireland manager.
Stephen Kenny saw his three-year tenure as manager come to an end after a disastrous UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying campaign saw Ireland win just two games, and score only one goal in games against the top three in the group.
Kenny leaves behind a struggling squad, and discussion in recent weeks has turned to which coach is best equipped to turn the fortunes of this team around.
There has, of yet, been no outstanding candidate. Though some seem to be more attractive options than others, such as Lee Carsley, others seem more amenable to taking over and more "gettable" for the FAI - the likes of Neil Lennon and Sam Allardyce, for example.
Given Anthony Barry's impressive CV (already taking in Chelsea, Belgium, Bayern, and Portugal in the infancy of his coaching career), coupled with his previous experience with Ireland as an assistant coach under Kenny, the reports linking him with the job earlier this week seemed more encouraging than most to Ireland fans.
Thomas Tuchel - Barry's superior at Bayern Munich - has now poured cold water on any hope of Barry taking charge of the Irish team.
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Thomas Tuchel shuts down reports linking Anthony Barry with Ireland job
Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel, with Anthony Barry among the coaches on the bench (Photo: Shutterstock)
During his press conference with the German media on Friday afternoon, Thomas Tuchel was asked for his thoughts on the rumours linking Anthony Barry with the Ireland job, and gave a simple response:
Well, it's just not true. It's just not true.
You can forget about it. It's not at all an issue.
Tuchel has worked with Barry for the best part of five years now. When the German manager arrived at Chelsea in 2021, Barry was already on the coaching team, and he grew to play a pivotal role in the team which won the 2021 UEFA Champions League final.
When Tuchel was unexpectedly sacked at the beginning of the 2022-23 season, Barry remained at Chelsea. However, earlier this year, he followed Tuchel to Bayern Munich and has since joined up with another former collaborator Roberto Martinez as part of the coaching setup of the Portuguese national team.
Though Anthony Barry would be an attractive option as manager of the Ireland team, it seems as though the FAI would not only have to countenance paying a costly release clause (of up to seven figures) but also fight with the resolve of Bayern Munich to let their man go.
Back to the drawing board, so.
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