Cardiff’s Brian Barry-Murphy: ‘I feel as though I know Enzo Maresca really well.’ rancesca Jones/The GuardianCardiff’s Brian Barry-Murphy: ‘I feel as though I know Enzo Maresca really well.’ rancesca Jones/The GuardianInterviewCardiff’s Brian Barry-Murphy: ‘Cole Palmer made me look like a really good coach’Ben FisherFormer Manchester City youth coach faces his role model Enzo Maresca in Carabao Cup quarter-final against ChelseaWhen it comes to Cole Palmer, a montage of magical moments spring to Brian Barry-Murphy’s mind, but one episode, a little more than four years ago, particularly sticks. Barry-Murphy was in charge of Manchester City’s under-21s on the evening when Palmer – fresh from replacing Bernardo Silva as an 89th-minute substitute in a 2-0 Premier League win against Burnley – strolled across the bridge at the Etihad Campus and reported for duty at the academy stadium, scoring a sensational hat-trick in a 5-0 victory over Leicester. It is a story Barry-Murphy, now in charge of the League One leaders, Cardiff, recounts given Palmer could be in the opposition team when Chelsea visit in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday. “He said to Pep [Guardiola] and [his former assistant] Rodolfo Borrell the day before the game: ‘There’s an under-21 game tomorrow night, if I don’t get on, can I play?’” Barry-Murphy says with a smile. Schmaltz, theatre and sharp teeth: Wrexham reveal the hard truth about football | Barney RonayRead more“There’s a picture of him waiting to come on [against Burnley] and turning to Guardiola: ‘Can I still go and play?’ A lot of players would view coming back to the under-21s as a drop down.
