services of English professional Shawn Goater for all six second-round World Cup matches.

It was also revealed that agreement has been reached with most of the remaining players' employers.

However, these happenings have come at substantial cost to the BFA as it will have to compensate Goater's club, Rotherham United, and will also count other squad team members as a part of its payroll for time away from their regular jobs.

BFA president Charlie Marshall said that he was glad to get Goater in the fold and expects the 21-year-old, who made headlines all over Britain after scoring the lone goal in his club's 1-0 sinking of Everton in the League Cup, back on the Island in early October to train with the rest of the squad.

"We've had negotiations with his club and unfortunately will have to compensate them for his time away,'' said Marshall. "We can't really afford the added costs, but then we can't afford to not have Shawn Goater here either.'' Understandably, Marshall was not exactly jumping for joy especially with the current debts of the association already running in the region of $100,000, and the minimum cost of taking part in this second round, estimated at over $200,000.

Add to this the prospect of paying 20 players for a extended period and the situation becomes dire indeed.

Although he reiterated a point made several times in the past, that these financial matters should have been more thoroughly investigated and a plan set before Bermuda entered the competition, Marshall said that the association harbours no intentions of pulling out.

"We are expecting to derive a substantial amount from gate fees to offset our costs. If that does not enable us to reach our goals we will have to make a direct appeal to the general public.'' Marshall said that he had high hopes for the first two home matches and that financial failure could leave the state of soccer on the Island in ruins.'' KING OF ROTHERHAM -- Shawn Goater celebrates his goal against English Premier League side Everton in last Wednesday's 1-0 League Cup second-round first-leg match. More pictures of the 21-year-old Bermudian's most famous night as a professional are on Page 20, courtesy of the Rotherham Advertiser.