TWO of Bermuda's best football coaches, Andrew Bascome and Scott Morton, leave Bermuda a week today for an intensive coaching course in France ? much of it being held at Clairfontaine, the French Football Federation's National Training Centre where all of France's national teams prepare for international matches.

"It is widely considered, the Mecca of Football Training Centres in the world," said Richard Calderon, the secretary of the Bermuda Football Foundation who are sending the two coaches to Europe.

Calderon, his brother Robert and former West Ham striker and Sports columnist Clyde Best, began the BFF with the express purpose of providing the island's coaches with training.

And so far they have.

Earlier this year they brought in renown French national coach Jacques Crevoisier who has worked with Liverpool and also coached the likes of Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and Louis Saha when they were with France's Under-21 team. The BFF have also brought in former Crystal Palace Academy director Derek Broadley twice to conduct courses.

Calderon said: "After we brought in Jacques Crevoisier in February he graciously agreed to help us co-ordinate this trip. He is with FIFA as a consultant and with (French team) Lens as well. And the relationship he has with Clairfontaine is excellent as he was a French national coach for may years. He put me in touch with the director of Clairfontaine who helped me co-ordinate the trip as well.

"Clairfontaine is place ? everyone wants to go there. You mention that name to any coach in the world and they all want to go there."

Calderon said: "Scott and Andrew will staying in the youth academy and seeing games, talking to coaches and taking courses. They will have access to everyone."

The BFF secretary added: "We choose Andrew and Scott to go because they have shown so much initiative and they want to learn all of the time. Those are the type of people you want to reward. They are recognised as two of the top coaches in Bermuda and they continue to educate themselves ? they don't miss any courses that are put on here. Andrew was also Crevoisier's right-hand man when he conducted his course here in Bermuda earlier this year. We really could not do this without our sponsors who have been so supportive ? Capital-G, Correira Construction and the Bermuda General Agency."

Morton said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for Andrew and myself. We feel like kids in a candy shop! I met Crevoisier here when he conducted his course this year and was very impressed. He has so much knowledge ? and not just about coaching but also about the psychological part of the game and also from an organisational standpoint. Going to Clairfontaine is very exciting ? it really is the Mecca of football training in the world ? it will be an unbelievable trip."

Morton said Bascome and himself will be working with the first team professionals as well reserve team players and meeting youth coaches. "We want to understand their model and how they work with the youth at different age groups.

"I would like to thank the Bermuda Football Foundation for providing Andrew and myself with this opportunity."

And on the way back to Bermuda the two coaches will stop off and watch Arsenal take on Porto in a Champions League match at Arsenal's new stadium. "What a way to end the trip," added Morton.

The two coaches will also be watching and talking to coaches from clubs FC Sochaux and Lens as well as club Metz.