BERMUDA Football Association may not have realised it at the time, but when the national team qualified for the Digicel Caribbean Cup play-off that takes place against Haiti in Trinidad this weekend the issue of 'club before country' once again became a matter for consideration.

They weren't, of course, to know that as the planning of this play-off unravelled ? they had originally hoped it would be held on home turf and also involve the Dominican Republic ? it would take more twists and turns than a helter skelter and eventually end up being played just a week before the finals and involve only one other team.

But once it was determined that the two-legged match against Haiti ? perhaps the most significant contest since Bermuda's World Cup qualifying games a couple of years ago ? would immediately follow the hectic Dudley Eve double elimination tournament, then alarm bells should have sounded.

Apparently they didn't.

While a huge hoo-ha was created over the renaming of the Christmas competition the 'Premier's' Dudley Eve Trophy, nobody seemed too bothered about what effect this annual football festival would have on the national squad's chances of making a rare appearance in a Caribbean final.

Now, of course, we know. The effect has been significant, and the consequences potentially damaging.

Even with a fully-fit squad, our hopes of beating the Haitians on neutral territory wouldn't be considered particularly good.

Without players of the calibre of skipper Kentoine Jennings, Stanton Lewis and possibly Jelani Scott ? all of them injured while on club duty over the holidays - those hopes are considerably diminished.

While those within the BFA hierarchy and those connected with the national squad might argue otherwise, it seems rather strange that, at the very least, nothing was said to dissuade those within that squad from playing for their clubs when the risk of picking up an injury that would prevent them playing for their country was all too obvious.

The point has been made (see story above) that some players needed the match practice and would have benefited from a couple of run-outs over the holiday period.

But the flip side of that argument is that those players are of absolutely no use to the national squad if they get crocked and are left with no time to recover.

Yes, the Dudley Eve is important, and as attendance showed, it's one of the Island's most popular tournaments.

But if football in this country continues to put club before country, it should come as little surprise that our success on the international stage is as limited as it is.

As it stands this morning, Lewis and Jennings are both definitely ruled out of Sunday's first game against Haiti as well as next Tuesday's second leg. Without that pair marshalling the defence, Bermuda will be seen as a much weaker side, and even moreso should the talented Scott also be forced to sit out.

No doubt several others are carrying niggling injuries picked up during the holiday games.

Wouldn't it have made more sense to have rested the entire national squad over the holiday, avoided any risk of injury and had the players primed for what could be seen as two pivotal games in our international development?

Instead we'll take on one of the powerhouse teams of the Caribbean with a side devoid of some its best players.

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REFEREE Anthony Francis had every right to threaten to abandon last Saturday night's match at Somerset after he was spat on by Boulevard player Melchisedec Gibbons.

That he didn't call a halt to proceedings was only due to the intervention of BFA officials, president Larry Mussenden included, who perhaps believed that abandonment might fan the flames of an already fiery encounter.

But who could have blamed Francis if he and his assistants had walked off?

Verbal abuse is one thing - almost expected. Being showered by a player's spit is something no ref should be expected to tolerate.

If Gibbons doesn't kick a ball again until this time next year, he can have no complaints.

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INTERNATIONAL sporting events don't come around all that often in Bermuda, and when they do one would think all sports would work together to avoid any kind of clash.

Next Friday night's Front Street Mile has been inked on the calendar since the first runner crossed the line a year ago. So there's really no excuse for the BFA to have scheduled a Premier Division crunch match (Boulevard v Cougars) and an Under-18 Division game at nearby Devonshire Rec on the same night.

The Mile generally attracts a crowd of two thousand plus. Friday night football might normally expect about the same.

Is it really necessary to have two big events on the same night, especially since no Premier football whatsoever has been scheduled this Sunday? And is it too late to change the schedule?