host a pair of United States Eastern Select teams.

The visitors, who are using the tour as part of an Olympic development programme, are expected to boast some of the best upcoming talent along the eastern seaboard from Maine to Florida -- including such soccer `hot-beds' as New Jersey and Virginia -- in the Under 14 and Under 15 age brackets.

They will do battle against four local squads -- an under 14 select, under 15 Select, under 14 national team and an under 15 national team.

The undertaking is the first step toward the Under 17 World Championships set to run from October 26 until November 6 in El Salvador.

First, however, they have to get past qualifying among the CONCACAF region, with next weekend being an important initial step toward that goal.

Coaching the national teams are Jon Beard and Josef Gooden, while director of coaching, Burkhard Ziese, holds the selects' reins.

"Our problem (in Bermuda) is to get the youngsters playing at a higher level of intensity,'' said Beard. "Locally we only get maybe three or four high level, intense games when the top (club) teams play each other, but other than that there is no real intense soccer.

"Being so geographically isolated we have to use as many opportunities to play high level competition as we can.'' Beard went on to mention how the players were working well together in training, however, they (players) would get a clearer picture of what to expect after they face their competition.

The US under 14 side will be coached by Farleigh Dickinson University head coach, Tom Lang, and Ray Reid.

Lang played professionally with the New York Cosmos during the period of activity of the North American Soccer League alongside soccer greats Pele and Franz Bekenbauer.

Meanwhile, former English professional Gerry Sharpe (Bristol City) and Strath Haven High School (Pennsylvania) head coach Mike Barr will instruct the under 15 squad.

Schedule: Friday: Bermuda under 15 select v US under 14 (National Stadium, 5 p.m.); Bermuda under 15 national team v US under 15 (National Stadium, 7 p.m.).

Saturday: Bermuda under 15 select v US under 14 (National Stadium, 3 p.m.); Bermuda under 15 national team v US under 15 (National Stadium, 5 p.m.).

Sunday: Bermuda under 14 national team v US under 14 (Frog Lane, 8.30 a.m.); Bermuda under 15 national team v US under 15 (National Stadium. 8.30 a.m.).