Whether he is working with world-class goalkeepers in the ilk of Edwin Van der Sar or rookies dreaming of becoming the next big name, Vic Bettinelli's commitment to improvement remains steadfast.

Bettinelli has been charged with a remit to provide an overview of the standard of national team goalkeepers by life-long friend Derek Broadley, Bermuda Football Association's technical director.

The Fulham goalkeeper coach and former Gillingham reserve will spend two weeks in Bermuda sharing his extensive knowledge with international glovemen of all ages and both sexes, as well holding a goalkeeping master-class for local coaches.

"I'll coach anyone from kids to full internationals," said Bettinelli who arrived on the Island last weekend. "I'll coach anyone because I just love goalkeeping. I've always been good friends with Derek (Broadley) and we sing off the same song sheet in regards to football development.

"Obviously I've finished with the professional league back in England for the summer and he asked me come out and do some work with the goalies.

"I aim to give Derek some input and tell him which goalies I rate and what the overall level is like on the Island."

Bermuda international 'keepers Timmy Figureido and Jason Williams were put through a range of elaborate drills by Bettinelli during national team practice earlier this week.

And while Bettinelli concedes Somerset Trojans' veteran Figuerido may be a little long in the tooth for an overhaul of his methods between the sticks, he believes Williams is still young enough to shape and mould.

"I worked with them (Figuerido and Williams) when they came over to Fulham recently. Obviously Timmy has the edge over Jason in terms of experience, but I don't think Timmy would mind me saying that he is probably coming to the end of his career," said Bettinelli.

"It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks and he has got his own technique, which has kept him in good stead over the years.

"It's going to be difficult to change Timmy, but Jason is still young enough to refine and adapt his technique. You can see they both have very fast hands and they are two fine 'keepers with very different styles.

"Timmy is more of a shot-stopper, whereas Jason is going to be more of a sweeper-keeper."

As far as Bettinelli is concerned 'keepers are not just the last line of defence but also the first line of attack. But he fears the English methods of schooling their upcoming 'keepers is partly responsible for the dearth of homegrown talent currently at national team boss Fabio Capello's disposal.

"If you look at the English leagues all of a sudden we don't seem to be producing as many good 'keepers as we did in the past. Without wishing to do myself out of a job, I think sometimes 'keepers are taken away from the rest of the team in training too much. They don't learn to read the body shape of players, the runs of players and don't develop a reading of the game.

"Sometimes they spend too much time with 'keeper coaches and not enough time with the outfield players. They are part of the team, not a part of the team and people need to remember that.

"I do believe 'keepers need to improve their footwork. Not only do they need to be good 'keepers, but they need to be good footballers. Edwin van dar Sar's feet are tremendous - he could play centre forward if he wanted to!"

Next season will see Bettinelli resume his role of developing Fulham's future crop of custodians, including his son who recently signed for the Cottagers.

"I've worked with first-team 'keepers for a such a long time it's nice to go back to youth development where you can really change the habits of a goalkeeper.

"My boy has just been signed by Fulham and he'll be coming to work with me from July," he said. "He's just turned 16 and has signed for two years so it will be an interesting one.

"I'm probably harder on him than I should be. Going home in the car I'll be telling him what he should have done, but now he just turns the radio on! When we are on the pitch he listens to me though, but he needs his time and space and I know I need to back off."

Bettinelli will remain on the Island when the national team jet off to Trinidad and Tobago for the first leg of their World Cup qualifiers next week. Despite being the heavy underdogs, he believes Bermuda must buy into the belief that they can upset the odds by toppling the Caribbean powerhouse.

"It's always eleven men against eleven men and each Bermuda player has to try and be better than the man he is up against," he said. "If they can win six or seven of those individual battles you always have a chance. You have to go in with belief.

"There's no point going there thinking you are lambs to the slaughter and just defending from your 18-yard box all game. You won't get lucky for 90 minutes and at times you will need to take the game to them."