Bermuda Football Association are planning to bring in a "big name'' consultant after techical director Clyde Best's contract has expired, it emerged yesterday.

Documents leaked to The Royal Gazette from a source inside the BFA indicated they want the new man to be involved in the World Cup campaign, to "kick start'' the national soccer programme and to "enliven the public''. And the BFA have already contacted the European Football Association about hiring a consultant and are now awaiting a reply.

Best's contract expires a week tomorrow and the BFA have remained tight-lipped about what will happen next.

The involvement of sports minister Dennis Lister in Best's case and Bermuda's 14-1 aggregate win in the World Cup first-round qualifier have heightened expectations that Best will be given some kind of extension.

But copies of minutes from meetings of the BFA's Coaching Committee on February 29 and March 7, handed in by "a concerned football fan'' to the offices of The Royal Gazette yesterday, suggested the BFA are poised to bring in a new man.

The minutes read: "JB (Jon Beard, committee chairman) asked for input as to what our development should be after the end of the TD's (technical director's) contract. The overall ideas encapsulated the following: "Bring in a consultant to review our present situation. He could be a "big name'' as this would serve to "kick start'' our programme, to enliven the general public.

"He could then be involved in our World Cup programme. A time frame should be produced, a description of what we want done, a short-list drawn up and funding found.'' On March 7, only two people were recorded as being present at the meeting -- chairman Jon Beard and Kevin Grant.

The minutes stated: "We have contacted the EFA (European Football Association) re: a consultant and are awaiting their reply.

"Re: a time frame -- this must be given careful consideration -- the EFA say that four weeks should be adequate; but as it is close to the end of the season it would not be worthwhile to bring someone out if we are not playing.

We need him to assess our junior, senior domestic programme, coaching programme and national programme. Need to advise us on diet and fitness for players.'' BFA president Neville Tyrrell is away in Trinidad serving as a match commissioner at an Olympic qualifying tourmnament.

When contacted at his hotel yesterday, Tyrrell played down the revelation from the minutes.

"We are always in contact with football associations about coaching places,'' said Tyrrell. "That is something we are always doing.'' Asked about the hunt for a "big name'', Tyrrell replied: "I don't know what minutes you are looking at, but I certainly haven't seen them. I don't go to every meeting.'' With the World Cup second round tie against Antigua looming next month, Tyrrell said that some kind of deal to keep Best involved with the national team set-up was under consideration.

"I have already said what I can on that matter,'' said Tyrrell. "We are discussing an attachment.'' On being told of the contents of the leaked documents yesterday, Best said he would rather not comment.

At the February 29 meeting, Coaching Committee member Rick Richardson voiced concerns that Best's weekly column in The Royal Gazette was "not promoting football''. Reasons as to why he believed that were not stated in the minutes.

But it was claimed that Best had not given the under-15 national team due praise -- presumably following their 5-0 win against the Cayman Islands on February 6.

In his column of February 9, Best said it had been a good win, but he added: "Let's not get carried away, let's keep our feet on the ground.'' And he suggested that the Caymans were "not a very good team''.

Best expressed similar sentiments after the senior team beat the BVI 9-0 in the World Cup last Sunday.

Other subjects addressed in the meeting were February's tour of Florida, which Beard reported had been "a positive initiative and that we should look to build on this with all of our teams''.

The tour had been Best's idea and it was his contacts which set up matches against Major league Soccer teams Miami Fusion and Columbus Crew and the under-23 side's friendly against the US under-20 team.

Clyde Best: Man in the soccer driving seat -- but for how much longer?