The rise of Harvey Barnes as Leicester star fights for an England Euro 2020 spot
Not many football fans would have put Harvey Barnes in their England squad for Euro 2020 at the start of the season, yet the Leicester attacker is from a family who know all about defying the odds.
Harvey’s father, Paul Barnes – a highly efficient goalscorer in the 1990s – inspired one of the most surprising results of the last century when he scored twice for York City – then playing in the third tier – to lead them to a 3-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford, in a League Cup tie in September 1995.
While Barnes’ inclusion in Gareth Southgate‘s squad would not provide a shock to rival that result, it would still be a remarkably impressive rise: a little more than a year ago, the 22-year-old was still waiting for his first Premier League start.
Harvey Barnes could force his way into England’s Euro 2020 squad after shining at Leicester
He has played a key role for the Foxes as they sit third in the Premier League after 26 games
Barnes will hope his performances have caught the eye of England boss Gareth Southgate
If everyone is fit, it is hard to see beyond Raheem Sterling and Jadon Sancho for the wide attacking roles in England’s opening game against Croatia on June 14. Yet beyond those two, which of the other candidates has stronger claims than Barnes? Marcus Rashford is sidelined with a long-term back injury and Callum Hudson-Odoi has started only seven league matches for Chelsea this term.
Even if Barnes does not make it this time, his moment will surely come. This is an impressive story of a player who was not a teenage superstar but through astute coaching in the Leicester academy, clever loan moves, a flawless attitude and rapid improvement under the coaching of Brendan Rodgers.
Make no mistake: Barnes has done it the hard way. A promising athlete at school – he excelled at sprinting and distance running – Barnes has benefited from the guidance of a father who played for eight clubs in a 16-year career in the Football League.
‘When you have been in the industry, you know it can be ups and downs all the time,’ Barnes senior told Sportsmail. ‘People ask me why I’m not his agent – I want to be his dad. I want to be able to congratulate him when he does well and be there for him when he doesn’t.
‘When we talk, I will always start with positive information. If we talk after a game, I’ll ask him questions – “How about this? Could you have done better?” We discuss it that way. You always know when he wants to chat about something.
Barnes’ rise has come through hard work on the training pitch at Leicester and out on loan too
The arrival of Brendan Rodgers as Leicester manager last February has aided his development
‘At 18 I wanted him to get experience of full-time football, Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday, playing with grown men, getting kicked.
‘Harvey is someone who will blossom and develop once he feels settled. It might take him a month to settle in somewhere but his loans have always worked out well.
‘With his loan moves, I always impressed on him that once you join a club, you join them in every sense. Buy into what they are doing. Don’t rush home after training; stay with the players and go out for something to eat.
‘When he was at Barnsley he shared a flat with (Bournemouth winger) David Brooks, who was at Sheffield United. They knew each other from playing for England at the Toulon tournament in 2017.
‘At West Brom he would spend time with senior players like Jake Livermore and Gareth Barry. It helps you develop that little bit more confidence for when you go back into a Premier League dressing room.’
Football runs in the Barnes’ family with Harvey’s dad Paul (right) a goalscorer in the 1990s
Barnes made steady progress at both Milton Keynes and Barnsley, before taking a huge step forward at West Brom last season. Given the freedom to express himself by then-Albion boss Darren Moore, Barnes delivered nine goals and six assists in 26 matches.
When he was recalled by Leicester in January 2019, Albion feared – correctly – that it would derail their bid for promotion from the Championship. Barnes himself would have been more than happy to stay at The Hawthorns for the entire campaign, as he feared his playing time would decline under Claude Puel.
Looking back, though, it appears the best career move Barnes could have made. By the time Rodgers replaced Puel last February, Barnes was firmly in the first-team picture, having started the previous four matches.
And when Rodgers demanded more telling contributions from his wide players following a 2-1 win over Burnley in October, Barnes answered the call – he now has four goals and six assists in the league.
‘He’s got clarity about his role,’ said Rodgers. ‘He knows where he has to be in terms of goals and creativity if he wants to be in a team challenging at the top end of this league.
Barnes joined MK Dons in January 2017 for the remainder of the 2017-18 and impressed
His next loan saw him join Barnsley where he scored five goals in 23 Championship games
The 22-year-old spent the first half of last season at West Brom – and shone for them too
‘Everyone can see his speed and running power are phenomenal, but in tight spaces he has improved, and that is the element of his game that is getting better. He has got good feet and he can combine, and there are not many who can stay with him when he bursts into the box.
‘That’s development and improvement. It’s what we need to see. He does finishing exercises – left foot, right foot – and he will do video analysis, but he wants to improve and that’s also key.
‘He asks questions – “What can I do better? How can I improve?” – and then he wants to do it. If you want to be at the top end of the game, it’s a constant evolution of your talent, and that is what we see now with him.’
Intriguingly, those who know Barnes best believe he may not stay on the left in the long term. As he played youth football, his best work was done as an attacking midfielder or No 10.
An England Under 21 international, he would love to win a senior cap at the Euros this summer
He moved wide when he joined Milton Keynes as it was felt he did not have the physical stature to play centrally in League One, but Barnes showed at West Brom the damage he can do when he moves inside from the flank.
‘I don’t think he will end up as a left-sided attacker,’ added his father. ‘In the next two, three, four years you will see him come inside more. He will end up as a No 10 or attacking midfielder. He can get up and down and break the lines.
‘In school games and county games he always had a lovely ability to run with the ball. He has always had a genuine love for the game, a real enjoyment of football. I’ve never once heard him say “I don’t fancy going in”. He’s always been excited about it.’
With Champions League football on the horizon and an England spot to fight for, Barnes’ enthusiasm will not be waning any time soon.
