Cape Town - Everton
midfielder Gareth Barry has directed praise in manager Ronald Koeman's
direction for helping teammate Ross Barkley reach a new level.
Barry believes Koeman's influence has raised the Barkley's game this season, which has led to the 23-year-old's inclusion in the England squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifier against Lithuania.
Barry is also confident that Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate is the right man to continue Koeman's work; guiding Barkley through his career at international level.
“(Koeman) seems to have kicked his game on another level. The manager here deserves a lot of credit for that and I’m sure Gareth Southgate can do the same,” the 36-year-old told Everton's official website.
“He (Southgate) understands the game, he understands the personalities, which is just as important, and Ross will need talking to like the manager (Koeman) has done with him this season."
Meanwhile Everton's plan to move to a new stadium alongside the River Mersey moved a step forward when the Premier League club announced on Thursday a finance model to buy land at Bramley Moore Dock.
Their billionaire owner Farhad Moshiri has thrown his backing behind the proposed move away from Everton's Goodison Park ground where they have played since 1892.