For all his international career as a player and coach, Gus Logie has never savoured the kind of overwhelming affection that he has here ? and he is looking forward to more of it.

Breaking his silence on whether he will remain as national coach beyond his six-month contract with the Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB), the former West Indies Test player confirmed his interest in seeing the Island through to the 2007 Cricket World Cup.

?I said to someone recently I?ve won a world championship (as coach) with the West Indies Under-15s and championships with the senior team as a player but I?ve never had this kind of reception. It?s a blessing and it just shows you the passion and the love for the game that the people of Bermuda have,? said Logie, following an afternoon of public celebrations to mark Bermuda?s qualification for cricket?s signature tournament.

?At the end of the day you would want to continue but you just can?t be emotional about it. One has to be realistic about it. I do have a family to look after and their needs also have to be taken into consideration.

?My family is here and we are talking about it. Once the Board and I can come to an agreement, I?m certain it wouldn?t be too long before something concrete happens.

?But sure I certainly feel good working with the guys. They have inspired me as well to go on to do more and better things and I?m looking forward to the partnership continuing.?

Trinidadian Logie said he has been ?pleasantly surprised? by the community?s reaction to the national team, adding that he realises how much it means for ?the people of Bermuda to qualify for a World Cup?, especially since they have been agonisingly close in the past.

Modestly, he insisted that Bermudians should not feel indebted to him ?because I believe coaches only prepare players to do as well as they can?.

?The day players are the ones who have to go out there and do the business. So I think if they need to be indebted to anyone, it?s to their players and I would hope that they do as the minister says and encourage them to better things. They deserve it.

?Whatever we as coaches can do, we will. We just need to be the best we can be to be able to give the best to the guys.?