Foda observed the Burnley striker's match against West Ham and praised Barnes' performance, telling 'Sky in Austria' that ''me and my staff were impressed. He can use either foot, is physically very present and makes a lot of good runs. He was also involved in every single offensive play. What can I say, he is a very good striker.''
Barnes is eligible to play for Austria through his grandmother. He had previously represented Austria at U20 level under a FIFA permit but is currently ineligible to represent them at senior level without a valid Austrian passport.
The 28-year-old has scored in each of his last three games for Burnley. Foda is hoping that Barnes will be available to join the squad in the future, as he is under pressure to select more attacking options. He said ''it was very important for me to see him live in the flesh to judge his competitive quality. Now, there are many other details to be discussed. Is he eligible to play for Austria? When can I involve him in my plans? We will see, what the next weeks may bring.''
Foda also spoke to other Austrian players about Barnes, "I talked to people about Barnes. There are several Austrian players in the Premier League. The feedback was very positive.''