England's Barry to continue with half-time interviews

England assistant coach Anthony Barry is to continue conducting televised half-time interviews during the World Cup despite delivering a critical assessment of the team's first-half display against Croatia.

Barry provided an honest appraisal of England's display in the opening 45 minutes of the match in Dallas with the score level at 2-2 at the break – though Thomas Tuchel's team ran out eventual 4-2 winners.

The remarks were met with surprise from certain quarters given how candid it was.

However, the England camp feel that Tuchel or the players conducting the half-time media duties would not be the best use of their limited time during the break.

Indeed, Tuchel is understood to welcome his assistant's honesty and Barry's frankness has not caused any concern inside the camp.

The half-time interviews have become a new feature of the broadcasting during World Cup matches, though they are described as a "request rather than mandatory".

Some teams have provided access to the manager or substitutes, with how serious the interviews are taken varying between nations.

Asked for his half-time assessment in the Croatia game, Barry said: "Overall, a complicated and confusing first half from us really. I think a lot of nervous energy early on and maybe that should be accepted and maybe expected in the opening game of a World Cup.

"From there, we made some decisions where the energy was not free in our mind. We played long when we should play short and played short when we should play long really. Not playing through the gaps, so not allowing us to accelerate our game the way we wanted to.

"You'd think the penalty would free us up and allow us to play more like us and look more like ourselves, but again we fall back into some fearful patterns.

"Yeah, we've always been able to rely on set-pieces. We get the second goal and again we're hoping that's the moment to free us up and move forward in the game. But, OK, we concede the second goal late on and now we have to speak about that at half-time."

Meanwhile, England medics are checking on the fitness of forward Marcus Rashford before Tuesday's match against Ghana after he complained of muscle discomfort following the win over Croatia.

The forward came off the bench to score England's fourth in Dallas but is said to have experienced some soreness, though there is optimism that the issue should not preclude his involvement against Ghana.