differences behind them and cheer on the national team this week.

Impatience and barracking of the players has been more in evidence than vocal backing in Bermuda's five matches this year, particularly when the team has been struggling against strong opposition.

And director of coaching Best would like to see that trend reversed during this week's three Caribbean Cup qualifiers at the National Stadium.

"My message to the fans is be supportive and rally behind the team,'' said Best. "Let's make it like anywhere else in the world, where playing at home can be worth a goal advantage.'' After an impressive 2-0 victory over Denmark under-23s in front of a sparse, quiet crowd at BAA Field in January, Best publicly questioned whether some Bermudian fans actually wanted their country to win.

On that occasion, he said: "Half of the people in Bermuda probably want us to lose. It's the Bermuda mentality and it's to do with the clubs. We find a lot more people from overseas are cheering for us than our own local people and to me, that's really amazing.'' Best saw tomorrow night's clash with the Bahamas as an ideal opportunity for the fans to increase the volume and start showing their patriotism.

"Let's start anew and get behind these boys -- they've worked really hard.

They're playing for Bermuda now, not for their clubs but their country,'' said Best.

He confirmed that Stoke striker Kyle Lightbourne was back on the Island and ready to play in all three matches and that Shawn Goater was unavailable due to commitments with his promotion-chasing club Manchester City.

Midfielder David Bascome, who plays for Harrisburg Heat in the National Professional Soccer League, was also unavailable, added Best.

And Stanton Lewis would be unable to get back from his studies in the US until Thursday because of exams, ruling him out of the Bahamas match.

Best said training had gone well for the national squad, whittled down to 18 players for the tournament. He praised them for their dedication and said they were now "raring to go''.

The Bahamas and Cayman parties arrived late yesterday, while the Cubans are scheduled to arrive this morning. Most of the Cuban squad play their football in Germany, having been signed up en masse at the start of the season by a Third Division club.

Best picked out Cuba as being likely to provide the stiffest test for his players in the final match of the qualifying tournament on Sunday.

"From what I've seen of them, they're pretty strong and they will play a typical Latin style of soccer, so we will have to work very hard to compete with them,'' said the coach.

Bermuda squad: Dwayne Adams, Jahmah Samuels, Timmy Figureido, Randy Spence, Kentoine Jennings, Devarr Boyles, Clifford Roberts, Dwight Basden, Karl Roberts, Kofi Dill, Kyle Lightbourne, Meshach Wade, Andrew Rahman, Keishon Smith, Dano Outerbridge, Dennis Robinson, Shannon Burgess, Otis Steede.