Barrington: Local football going uphill

"I think, (compared) to the football before, and since coach Beenhakker (came), everything (started) to go uphill," he said. "The defence is more solid, when we win the ball we keep the ball, you’re getting the (game) spread out and that’s important," he said.

The slimly-built Barrington continued: "I think we have a long way to go with that kind of football.

Concerning the upcoming FIFA World Cup play-offs against Bahrain on November 12 and 16, Barrington said: "I’m telling myself we’re in the World Cup (after) this year once we go and play that kind of football (against Bahrain). We have a good chance."

Barrington, who served as deputy to Hannibal Najjar in early 2003, took a closer look at the tactical methods of the team since Beenhakker took over the reins on April 1.

"I feel the strong point of the team is that we tend to keep the football now," he revealed. "That wasn’t strong before and that’s why we were losing.

"We’re focused in what we want to do and how we want to do it," Barrington added.

On the other side of the coin, he said: "The weak point in the (team) is that we tend to sleep at times, especially in defence, and people are accustomed putting the ball behind our backs.

"We have to watch that, that is what we have to watch in this (next) round. Otherwise, I find we’re playing good and, once we maintain that sort of play and be disciplined, (we’ll qualify)."