England’s stars want Anthony Barry to continue delivering home truths after an impassioned critique of their performance against Croatia.
Barry revealed that the first half in Dallas had been ‘complicated and confused’ during a half-time TV interview.
And Thomas Tuchel’s squad are happy for the assistant manager to carry on with searingly honest if it contributes to a successful World Cup.
‘Anthony’s very honest, straight to the point, and then I think that’s the best way to be,’ said Nico O’Reilly.
‘You need it. If you’re not doing something right, or you’re not doing so well, having someone there to tell you… it’s the right thing to do.’
England No 2 Anthony Barry has been described as ‘very honest and straight to the point’
O’Reilly’s comments echo Dan Burn who, while saying he hadn’t seen Barry’s interview, did applaud the lack of grey areas with the coaching staff.
‘I’ve not seen the half-time thing yet, but I have heard about it,’ he said. ‘I was with Baz at Wigan and I thought that was one of his first coaching jobs.
‘You knew back then there was something special about the way he went about it when he was taking drills.
‘You really wanted to make whatever he was doing work because of the energy he put into it.
‘I think you’ve seen his work from the very bottom to being in different national teams and Champions League teams.
‘I’m really happy for him. He’s another member of staff who really sets the standard. He doesn’t let you go through the motions. He has high standards of what he demands from us. It’s the very best. You’ve got to be on your toes.
‘I think you’ve got to have that sort of honesty. There are no grey areas with Baz and the manager.
Barry speaks with John Stones at half-time during one of England’s World Cup warm-ups
‘I feel like the one thing that I really do like about them is that they just say it how it is. They’re not going to beat around the bush. They’re going to really just tell you how it is.’
‘I feel like that’s all you want as a player. You just want that honesty to know where you stand.’
England flew to Boston on Monday ahead of facing Ghana in their second Group L game, with O’Reilly in line to start again at left back.
But the 21-year-old claimed that his long-term future lies in the middle of the pitch – where he excelled in academy football.
‘I think in the future I will be back in midfield,’ he added. ‘With my profile, everything fits there and maybe as a box-to-box midfielder. But I’ve been enjoying left-back and it has got me here now to a World Cup.
‘When playing at left back I have been playing in the middle for most of it anyway so it’s not like I am playing as a traditional left back. Even with England, I am still coming inside and allowed to drift in and drift out wide so it is a bit more relaxed.’
