Everton forward Thierno Barry has released a short film detailing his battles during a mixed debut Premier League season, vowing to return to action “with the mentality to dominate.” The 23-year-old, who scored eight league goals for the Toffees, described regaining confidence as the toughest challenge of a difficult campaign.
In the video, set against clips of his fitness work and training away from the club, Barry said: “My whole life has been like this. My whole life I’ve had to fight for what I want. The worst thing for a striker who hasn’t achieved his goals during a season, it’s about getting your confidence back.” The caption read: “A wounded animal is often very dangerous because it has nothing to lose.”
Mixed debut season
Barry’s first season at Goodison Park included notable highlights, such as a clever winner at Aston Villa and a brace in the 3-3 draw at home with Manchester City. However, he initially struggled, taking months to open his account before being booed by sections of the Everton fanbase later in the season following comments made on social media after an agonising defeat at Arsenal.
In the film, Barry added: “Look at the mistakes you made this season on the pitch - how did you feel? [And] come back with the mentality to dominate. You always have to keep that joy of playing. Sometimes you forget it. And when you forget that, that’s when football becomes difficult.”
Pre-season progress
Barry shared the video after Everton began their pre-season with a 4-0 friendly win at Dundee. The former France youth international, signed from Villarreal 12 months ago, came off the bench to score the Blues’ second goal by charging down a clearance from goalkeeper Harry Sharp.
He continued: “Every year you always face challenges. You just have to know how to overcome them. That’s the highest level. You have to be clinical. When you see people criticising [Erling] Haaland, saying he only scores tap-ins - he didn’t score 25 tap-ins. That’s the highest level of the Premier League.”
Future potential
Everton entered the summer with questions over their frontline, but senior figures at the club believe Barry has the potential to develop into a serious Premier League talent. This view is bolstered by interest from RB Leipzig during the close season, given the German club’s track record for nurturing raw talent.
