BERMUDA'S national team footballers finally showed some character - an ingredient that has been sadly missing in the squad and also not particularly noticeable among their national cricket team counterparts over the past couple of years.

Their World Cup win over Cayman Islands on Sunday will have come as a great relief to both the players and Bermuda Football Association.

But it's ridiculous that the squad should have got themselves into this position in the first place.

And some might agree that had not coach Kenny Thompson come on board when the going got tough, they might still be licking their wounds.

It's worth remembering it was Thompson who guided the national team to a thumping victory over Montserrat in the same cup campaign four years ago - a Montserrat side who would be considered roughly of the same standard as Caymans.

In the same tournament, he helped Bermuda snatch an away draw against El Salvador (at the time ranked much higher in world rankings than his own team) and missed out on a passage to the next round following a narrow defeat at home.

Since coach Thompson has returned to the squad in recent weeks - and has been seen by most observers to be running the show - Bermuda have beaten Major League Soccer side Colorado Rapids and the Caymans.

It's a fact that he's earned enormous respect from all of the players.

As noted in previous columns, the BFA - at great expense - have employed a staggering four national team coaches as well as a recently-appointed technical director, all of whom were present at Grand Cayman over the weekend.

It shouldn't be too difficult for football fans to draw an obvious conclusion.

As one of those coaches commented (off the record) after last Sunday's win, "it's a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth."

The team now have until early in June to prepare for what, on paper at least, appears to be a very difficult home-and-away World Cup tie against Trinidad, regarded by many as the best side in Caribbean.

Earlier this week BFA president Larry Mussenden declared all-out-war on Bermuda's next opponents.

When the Trinidadian players, most of whom play professionaly, get wind of that warning, they'll no doubt be loading up their water pistols.

But all joking aside, this is a match for which Bermuda will have to be properly prepared.

The BFA have promised warm-up games will be arranged in the two months before that tie takes place.

The question remains, who will be in charge?

Can the BFA again really afford to ignore the contribution made by Thompson, as they have done so often in the past.

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NATIONAL cricket coach Gus Logie named his senior squad early this week in preparation for a number of commitments this summer.

And with Under-19 skipper Rodney Trott appointed vice-captain and a half-a-dozen more youth players promoted to the senior squad, it seems he's sending a clear message to the older players that their place is no longer guaranteed.

Yet, no matter what the make-up of the squad, Logie appears to be facing the same old problem.

On announcing his squad, he also announced a training schedule which required players to attend four sessions a week.

From a squad of 23, on Monday night just six turned up!

On Tuesday night there were just seven.

What's new?

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WHILE Bermuda have produced some excellent swimmers in the past, it isn't a sport which we have been particularly competitive within the Caribbean or Americas regions.

Yet last weekend at the Carifta Championships in Aruba, Bermuda snatched eight medals - Julian Fletcher leading the way with two golds and a bronze. Rebecca Sharpe and Ashley Yearwood won silver, and the girls' relay teams were awarded two bronze.

Surely that's an indication that the Bermuda Amateur Swimming Association (BASA) have put together a programme that's heading in the right direction.

But for more than 20 years, promises by various Governments to build an Olympic-size pool have been unfulfilled.

Perhaps new Sports Minister El James can now make that one of his priorities.

- ADRIAN ROBSON