Bermuda football is at a crossroads. And if drastic changes are not implemented soon then the future of the game on the Island could be in jeopardy, says former West Ham striker Clyde Best.

Last week the former Bermuda Football Association (BFA) technical director criticised football?s governing body for what he perceives to be a lack of vision ? particularly at the national level.

?This is a very critical time for football in Bermuda and I think everybody needs to sit down and make an assessment at what?s best for the sport because if we leave it as it is we could find ourselves in some serious trouble,? Best told yesterday.

The former Hammer said it was vital for the continued development and progress of the sport to have a consistent and thriving national programme, and not one that was hastily assembled just prior to the odd international assignment and then placed on the backburner afterwards.

?Our biggest setback is always going to be a lack of matches,? Best said. ?But we have to find a way of putting together a programme that is going to guarantee our players more matches over the next couple of years if we?re talking about participating in the next World Cup (2010).

?This is very important to the future of the sport in Bermuda because every day we miss we fall further and further behind the rest of the world. And we just really can?t afford to keep doing this.?

Yet given Bermuda?s ongoing circumstances at the national level, Best believes Kyle Lightbourne?s men gave a good account of themselves against New England Revolution at the National Sports Centre on Saturday night.

?I thought they did the best they could do under the circumstances,? he said. ?What more could you expect after only a handful of training sessions? New England knocked the ball around and were patient while Bermuda had one or two promising build-ups.?

Best singled out the likes of Kofi Dill and ?keeper Nigel Burgess for special mention.

?I thought Nigel played well in goal while Kofi is always going to do well for you because he reads the game,? he added. ?But one thing I think our players must understand is they don?t have time to dwell on the ball. They must keep it moving about and this is something they?ll need to work on in training.?

Best offered a startling observation on striker John Barry Nusum.

?I can tell you that John Barry is a defender because lots of times he goes hunting for the ball instead of posting up,? he said. ?A lot is dependent upon those playing in that position where you need someone who can post or hold the ball up or run off the ball. And if you don?t have someone with those abilities up front then things can be difficult. I?m almost certain John has been a defender at some stage of his career just by the way he plays.?

Best also agreed that Revs playmaker Shalrie Joseph should not have been allowed to roam freely in the middle of the park.

?The individuals playing in that position (midfield) needed to dictate to him (Joseph) and not the other way around,? he added. ?We needed to get closer to him (Joseph).?

As for Lightbourne?s decision to bench current BFA MVP Domico Coddington, Best said: ?The coach has reasons and there must have been reasons for that decision.?

That aside, Best anticipates tomorrow night?s CONCACAF Champions Cup first leg quarter-final clash pitting New England against Costa Rica?s LD Alauelense to be a highly entertaining match.

?This is an international match where you will see the quicker paced Revs come up against the more slower paced South Americans,? he said. ?And this is fantastic for Bermuda to host a CONCACAF Champions Cup match when we don?t even have a team entered in the competition.?

The Costa Rican side are due to arrive in Bermuda tonight while Jamaica?s Under-23 national team arrive tomorrow night.

The Jamaicans lock horns with Bermuda at the NSC on Thursday night and New England on Saturday night at the same venue.

?The football you are going to see is far better than anything you witness here on any given weekend,? Best said.