Chelsea coach Anthony Barry has hailed head coach Thomas Tuchel and the set-up at Cobham ahead of the new season.
The coach joined Chelsea from Wigan Athletic after meeting former Blues head coach Frank Lampard during their time together on a coaching course.
Since then, Barry has been linked with several opportunities as a head coach himself, with the likes of Cardiff City and Fleetwood said to have approached him in the past.
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However, Barry decided to remain at Chelsea to learn under Tuchel, after he and the rest of the backroom staff helped lift the UEFA Champions League in the German’s first season at the club.
Despite Lampard’s attempt to convince his former coach to join him at Everton, Barry stayed loyal and remained under Tuchel’s regime at Chelsea while Joe Edwards move to become assistant manager to Lampard.
Barry has now opened up on his relationship with Tuchel, speaking exclusively to Chelsea’s official website.
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He said: “I’m an adopted German now and in return I teach the lads Scouse!” he joked.
“I’m very lucky to be a part of this group of staff.
"To talk about them and the work that they do is not the right place to start because to talk about them as people is the most important thing.”
He continued to heap praise on the rest of the backroom staff, revealing that he has learned from Tuchel’s team.
“From Thomas to Arno (Michels), Benni (Weber) and Jogi (Zsolt Low), these are top people.
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"The way they’ve been with me and the way they’ve brought me into the staff, I couldn’t be more thankful.
“The level of work that they produce, for a young coach like me to be around it, to help and share my ideas inside a circle like that, is simply first-class.”
It remains to be seen as to whether Barry dreams of becoming a head coach himself one day but as he continues to learn under Tuchel, the pair will be hoping to bring further success to Stamford Bridge.
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With the season coming up shortly, Chelsea face Lampard’s Everton as Barry will face up against familiar faces with Lampard, Edwards and Ashley Cole all currently working on Merseyside.
Tuchel will be hoping to add to his squad ahead of the new season, giving Barry and the rest of the backroom staff more quality to coach as they look to challenge at the top of the Premier League.
Defence is an area of much needed improvement after the Blues lost both Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen, with it unclear as to whether a defender will arrive before the Premier League season starts.
Topics: Chelsea, Thomas Tuchel, Football
Nick Emms