for the International Youth Tournament at Warwick Camp.

For, watch them in training, and you might just notice something of the regimental sergeant major about coach Mark Trott.

It may be the way he barks out instructions to his young charges. Or the way he marches swiftly, chest thrust out, to an area of the field to make a particularly pertinent point.

Or it may simply be the fact that after working with most of this squad of 22 since last year's tournament, when they were all under 15, he believes he has found a way of adapting their natural flair to the more disciplined environment of international football.

Whichever, Trott is now confident enough to assert that his squad, which will be whittled down to a final 18 this afternoon, has a good chance of going all the way in the four-team round-robin tournament beginning tomorrow.

Last year, they were good enough to beat eventual champions United States in their group fixture and the Portuguese of FC Porto on penalties in the consolation final after a 4-4 draw in normal time.

"I would say, looking at the players now, they're really growing, particularly from a tactical point of view.

"You see most Bermudian players, especially when they're young, playing off their raw ability.

"But they're beginning to understand what being organised is all about: understanding which players should be where, understanding what each team-mate should and should not be doing, whether it's a set-piece or an open piece of play.

"You try not to take away too much of their natural flair, but you try to make them aware of when they should use that.

"There are certain parts of the field and certain times in a game when they shouldn't take any chances and then there are other times when we want to see all that natural ability come to the fore.

"I really have enjoyed watching them develop that part of the game, learning when they can really be creative and expressive, when can they take guys on and when they should just play safe with their backs to goal, keeping things simple and doing what the coach asks. "They're still like babies in the game, but they have an enthusisasm. They tend to be a little more receptive than senior players and they don't bring a lot of baggage with them so you can easily teach them things.'' While the US may be the holders, it is the fourth team in the group, Glasgow Rangers, surprisingly defeated in last year's final, who Trott sees as the main danger to their hopes of success.

"I think they are the yardstick,'' he says. "I tell the guys we need to measure ourselves against a team like that, because a number of them will go on to become professionals.

"You can really judge how good you are by the standard you show against a team like Rangers.'' The Bermuda team will go into the competition playing the 3-5-2 system which wasn't altogether a success when the senior squad used it in the recent Shell Caribbean Cup in the Cayman Islands.

Youth team shows consistency From Page 15 But, Trott points out, it is used consistently throughout the national set-up and will hopefully bear fruit in the years to come.

"That's what the technical director wants,'' says Trott, also coach of First Division runners-up Dandy Town. "So we're using it and developing it in all the teams. Dennis Brown has the under 20s and they're playing the 3-5-2, Clyde's got the under 21s. "It's important that all the teams play similarly.

Obviously they'll play it at different levels because of their abilities, but a youth player needs to have an understanding so that when he goes to a match on a Sunday he can see a senior player playing in his position and more or less know what that guy's supposed or not supposed to do.'' Trott is urging Bermudians to show their support in a positive way and leave the tactics and advice to him alone.

"I think it would help if the public came out and just cheered them on and helped them win the game,'' he says.

"The parents have been very supportive, they've been out watching training every night. But we make it clear when we meet with them: cheer them on, don't tell them what to do.

"And even if they make mistakes, understand they will make mistakes at this level.'' Squad from: Zane Henrickson, Paul Fox, Kingsley Mundy, Nadir Wade, Nasir Wade, Georon Trott, Tafari Mallory, Kiman Simmons, Jason Hayward, Brendon Minors, Regeno Gomes, Marlon Dill, Mackie Crane, Raymond Beach, Tarik Jennings, Omar Ray, Jared Peniston, Jabari Furbert, Thaaquib Talbot, Sergio Eatherly, Tafari Wilson, Shakai Minors.

INTERNATIONAL YOUTH TOURNAMENT All games at BAA Field Sunday Barbados v Glasgow, 6.30 p.m.; Bermuda v USA, 8.30 p.m.

Monday Glasgow v USA, 6 p.m.; Bermuda v Barbados, 8 p.m.

Wednesday Barbados v USA, 6 p.m.; Bermuda v Glasgow, 8 p.m.