Shaun Goater will make a decision on his international future ?when I get home?.

The Southend striker, who is putting an end to his UK pro career in early May, is delaying an announcement on whether to make a first appearance for pal Kyle Lightbourne?s national team until he has settled in back in Bermuda this summer.

Goater has been invited to be part of Lightbourne?s Digicel Cup campaign in September when the national side take on the British Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic in the first stage of the Concacaf Gold Cup qualifiers.

Although Lightbourne, himself a former pro, is hoping to have the rare luxury of a full set of overseas-based stars for the tournament, the Shrimpers veteran striker is not committing to anything yet.

?I?ve talked briefly with Kyle about it,? said Goater, who has recently been on a great run of form for the table-topping League One side, bagging five goals in eight games for the Essex team.

?But I can?t commit to anything that far ahead just yet. There is going to be plenty to sort out in terms of settling back in Bermuda and only then can I make my mind about the football.

?It?s too far ahead and there is too much happening in between for me to say either way now.?

But Goater was adamant that he still hadn?t made a final decision about his international retirement even though he has confirmed hanging up his boots from the pro game ? his last match is on May 5 against former club Bristol City.

The striker confirmed that he was ?definitely going to stay in shape? after quitting the pro game and when asked if he would be ready to represent his country in the Dominican Republic he replied: ?If I want to be ready, I will be. It is something I will be thinking about much nearer the time.?

The former Man City talisman controversially missed out on Digicel Cup action in 2004 after committing to play for Lightbourne while going through a phase of being in and out of the Reading side.

Just hours before he was due to jet home, Royals assistant coach Kevin Dillon asked him to stay, promising a rare start the following Saturday but Goater was an unused sub that day, and then received heavy criticism from football fans in Bermuda and described the whole affair as ?one of the worst moments of my career?.

Lightbourne, whose side were controversially eliminated from the competition last time around by a BVI side they are convinced contained ineligible players, is keen to have Goater and fellow pros John Barry Nusum, Damon Ming and Khano Smith back for the tournament.

?This time around I?m looking to have a full squad to select from,? said Lightbourne last week.

?We have players who have played at the professional level. Damon (Ming) has been in the UK for nearly two years while Shaun (Goater) has obviously learned a lot during his time there.

?So we?re definitely looking to have our strongest team possible, something I?ve wanted all along.?