where they will start their Caribbean Cup campaign with the first leg of a first-round qualifer against the host nation tomorrow.

The youngsters have been training together regularly for more than two months in preparation for the tie, which will conclude with a second leg at the National Stadium on Sunday, February 6.

If they progress they will play another two-legged knockout tie against opponents yet to be determined for the right to play in the Caribbean Football Union Under-15 Championships in March or April.

Head coach Kenny Thompson said before accompanying his 18-man squad that the team was well prepared, but warned it would be something of a trip into the unknown for them.

"It's difficult to predict what will happen because we don't know anything about the Caymans team,'' said Thompson.

"We've seen the senior side play in Bermuda, but that says nothing about the players they will have at junior level. And we don't know what sort of pitch we will have to play on either.

"We will just try the best we can to get a result which will not leave us with a mountain to climb for the return leg.

"I'm confident the boys will play well in the second leg at the National Stadium where they are used to the surface.'' Thompson and his assistant Scott Morton have been training the squad twice a week since the end of October and last week they trained every day.

"At the beginning, we made some demands of the boys, notably self-discipline, not only in football, but also academically and in their social way of life.

"I'm happy to say that, for the most part, they have met those demands.'' Two of the youngsters, Freddy Hall and Vashun Blanchette, attended West Ham United's school of excellence last year.

Thompson felt the way the under-15s had responded to training bodes well for the future of the senior national team.

"For me, if you are to compete well at senior international level, you must do the groundwork at junior level.

"Young players need to work on the technical side, then go on to improve on the physical level. Above all, it puts them in the right frame of mind to play international football.'' All the boys have taken school work and time will be set aside for them to do it in the afternoons, while they will train in the mornings. The tour party will return on Tuesday.

Bermuda under-15 squad: Jason Williams, Fred Hall, Calvin Augustus, Shannon DeShield, Jonathon Bell, Chris Moulder, Karl Parfitt, Jacqui Simons, Jason Davis, Domico Coddington, Takeyhi Walker, Damon Swan, Eugene Calder, Dion Stovell, Vashun Blanchette, Tori Russell, Jason Dill, Shakai Simmons.