England v Ghana: gareth barry shrugs off concerns over lack of pace and expresses pride at winning captaincy
It was, for many, the defining image of England’s leaden World Cup campaign.
Leader of the pack: Gareth Barry has shrugged off concerns over his perceived lack of pace and is proud to lead England against Ghana Photo: GETTY IMAGES
By Jason Burt 10:30PM BST 28 Mar 2011
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The sight of Mesut Özil sprinting away from Gareth Barry to create Germany’s fourth goal in the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein and consign Fabio Capello’s team to a humiliating exit. It seemed to encapsulate the two-speed approach of the two nations.
Barry was so far in the young German’s wake that he almost appeared to be going into reverse. After being dropped from even the bench for Saturday’s Euro 2012 qualifier against Wales — with the emergence of Scott Parker — it appears Barry’s England career is now floundering, too.
And yet he will wear the captain’s armband on Tuesday evening, in the friendly at home to Ghana. However, that is in the knowledge that with so many senior players missing, Barry is being rewarded for experience — it will be his 46th cap — rather than form, as his lack of speed around the pitch has also been exposed this campaign at Manchester City.
“That’s one thing that’s been aimed at me since I was 17, a lack of pace. But I’m no slower now,” Barry said. “That one incident people recall, from the Germany game, was on the highest stage at the World Cup, so it will be remembered. But I’m comfortable with it. My game’s no different.
“It’s just one incident that will be remembered by a lot of people. That’s the way it goes. You have to be strong and forget about it, play your normal game. I’m not going to go out and get some extra speed training. It doesn’t work like that. You are what you are. You’re picked to play and do your job.”
That afternoon in Bloemfontein clearly still hurts — he has not watched the match as it would be a “negative” – especially considering how important Barry was then to the England team.
It was his damaged ankle which was the pre-World Cup scare — although not quite on the scale of 2002 and Beckham’s metatarsal — and so key was Barry to Capello that the manager abandoned his demand that every player who went to South Africa was fully fit. Capello has, of course, abandoned even more of his dogma since, with John Terry being reinstated as captain.
But did Barry feel as if the team had almost been built around him? “That was the way it was being spoken about,” said the 30 year-old, who was earmarked for the key holding role that Capello wanted filled, even though he is no specialist in it.
“I was comfortable playing there and my form was good for England.” But was he fully fit? “It would be easy to say ‘no I wasn’t’, that I wanted to get out there and play for my country, but I’m not like that. I’m not looking for an excuse. I felt fit enough.”
Since then, Barry actually retained his place and started each of England’s qualifying games for Euro 2012, until he was dropped completely for the Wales match.
“On Saturday I wasn’t involved, and now I’m captain. That’s just football and the way things can change. I’m not sitting here thinking I’m a regular again for England, that I don’t have to keep my form. It doesn’t work like that,” Barry said.
“Obviously, the disappointment was there, but it was not a surprise. You just get on with it. You’re disappointed, but things can change quickly in football. I’m experienced now. I don’t let things affect me at my age as much as I did when I was 21.”
The halting nature of Barry’s career — a first cap more than a decade ago, then a long period being overlooked before a flurry of recognition under Steve McClaren and, more so, Capello — has made him sanguine. “It’s not easy to take, but you learn to deal with it in different ways,” he said.
Maybe there is recognition that with Jack Wilshere taking to international football so readily, Barry’s time may be drawing to a close. Not that he will declare it. “I won’t look too far into it,” Barry said. “I will try to play well on Tuesday, remind people what I can do, then go back to my club and try to keep my form there as well.”
When Capello was appointed England manager, Barry was one of the four candidates he considered seriously to be the permanent captain. Now that the Manchester City player has been given the honour, as a one-off, there are those mixed emotions.
“I’m well aware that there are a lot of players not here and, in different circumstances, I obviously wouldn’t be captain,” he said. “But, personally, I can’t let that take it away from me. I’m going to be leading my country out. As disappointed as I was on Saturday, it’s going to be a great honour to lead them out.”
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