I'm often asked by people in Bermuda why I don't use my contacts in the UK to set up more trials for young Bermudian players. I've been back on the Island for about two years now but I haven't seen a player who ticks all the boxes required to make it as a professional as England.

We have a number of players with natural talent and ability but that alone will not be enough to make the grade.

Local players are talked up to much in terms of how good they are and understandably they start to believe their own hype.

Just because you're a good player in Bermuda does not mean you are a good player. I had to learn this home truth when I first went to Manchester United. On the Island I'd been scoring goals for North Village and people were singing my praise – I used to love it!

I'd turn up on Sunday, play my game, score a few goals and thought I was great. It was only when I arrived at Old Trafford and saw the other players I realised that I was, in fact, rubbish.

It was a real shock to me as I'd been a big fish in a small pond in Bermuda and I quickly realised I had a hell of a lot of work to do if I was going to have any chance of making it in England.

At the moment I'm just not prepared to vouch for a Bermudian player because my reputation would also be on the line. I want see player putting in the extras and showing a willingness to learn, a commitment to improvement and a desire to work hard.

I see football trials like examinations and I don't think our players do all the necessary preparation and I don't see players putting in the extras to become a better player.

I want to see players training by themselves, working on their game. That's what you need to do to give you the advantage over you rival.

Even when I was a kid I would hardly go anywhere without a football and it was the same with Kyle Lightbourne. I just don't see that now and it's a shame because right now we have probably never had so many football contacts in the UK.

However, I very much believe football is on the up in Bermuda and we have the right people in charge of the sport.

I think Technical Director Derek Broadley's focus on improving our local coaches is a very important move as we need to make sure our young players are receiving the correct information.

I'm optimistic about the future but I feel if we have any chance of getting another player to become a professional in England we have to identify them at 13 or 14 years old and send them overseas before they pick up bad habits and enter the comfort zone.

Obviously, Reggie Lambe (currently with Ipswich Town) left the Island early in his development and I really hope he can become the next Bermuda player to grace English football.

The one avenue I don't think we have exploited enough is the Major League Soccer (MLS) route. I feel you can still make it over there even if you're in your early 20s.

It's disappointing we only have Khano Smith out there.

Again I believe we have produced players in recent years who could have had an impact in the US, where their demands are not as great as in the UK, but players just haven't shown enough desire or interest in making it over there.

Maybe they can earn more money in Bermuda than being a professional in the US and then it comes down to how much you love the game.