Keith Tucker has been given the reins of the senior national football team and will now oversee the Island's 2010 World Cup qualifying bid that kicks off next year.

Bermuda Football Association (BFA) technical committee chairman Mark Trott confirmed yesterday that the former Howard University coach — who has also applied for the association's technical director's post — has agreed to the terms of a one-year deal that will see him come onboard as interim senior national team football coach.

Tucker became a household name at Howard, where he coached for 26 years, after taking the collegiate team all the way to the 1988 NCAA championship and also comes highly rated by Trott and the rest of his technical committee members. "We looked at the available candidates and Keith, who has the qualifications, was more than happy to take the job," Trott said. "In principle it was agreed to (yesterday) but we actually made a formal decision yesterday (Thursday)."

Tucker is one of only two Bermudian coaches that applied for the BFA technical director's position, a position that will pay a $125,000 per year salary, with former Alabama football academy director Richard Todd being the other.

"Obviously Keith is linked to the technical director's appointment but, as we did with the previous coaches, we are looking to bring him on for a year. That's the goal right now; get him in charge to oversee our World Cup campaign. And his qualifications more than met the criteria," Trott said.

Tucker, who succeeded Kenny Thompson as interim national coach, will also oversee a series of proposed World Cup warm-ups possibly as early as next month.

"We're working on something more fruitful. What we have set up will be more beneficial with a group of matches planned before New Year," Trott told The Royal Gazette.

Thompson quit the post last month after becoming disgruntled with a senior national programme that has remained stagnant for the past eight months despite Government pumping millions into the national sport.

"Now we have the money but we are operating as if we don't have any by not arranging any matches ahead of time," Thompson argued.

But in response to Thompson's outburst, Trott said: "It's understandable coaches want to play games. On many occasions we've arranged fixtures only for the other nation to come back and to us and change the financial arrangement.

"Everyone is aware we've received a substantial Government grant and some nations less fortunate probably think we can afford to pick up the entire bill. But we are now at stage when we're very close to making an announcement regarding a programme of international friendly matches."

The following players have been invited to train under the newly appointed senior national team coach, while a meeting has been set aside for Monday at the National Sports Centre's Northern Pavilion beginning at 5.30 p.m. sharp.

Proposed senior training squad: Jay Smith, Omar Shakir, Corey Dowling, Kevin Richards, Johnny Ball, Blenn Bean, Chris Furbert, Cecoy Robinson, Dennis Russell, Kentine Lewis, Jason Williams, Ralph Bean jr, Kofi Dill, Keith Jennings, Jemeiko Jennings, Devaughn Degraff, Jahmah Samuels, Conneko Trott, Chae Simmons, Jahmarley Samuels, Timmy Figureido, Jelani Scott, Jabrel Tucker, Darius Cox, Joshua Butterfield, Kijuan Franks, Kwame Steede, Tumani Steede, Domico Coddington, Ajani Gibbons, Raymond Beach, Tokia Russell, Dennis Zuill, Ernest Signor, Micheal Parsons, Seion Darrell, Heys Wolfe, Lloyd Holder, Lashun Dill, Joseph Butterfield, Ryan Purnell, Aljame Zuill, Jonathan Bean, Henry Santucci, Sean Brangman, Nigel Burgess, Jermaine Dill, Kamen Tucker, Khano Smith, Reginald Thompson-Lambe, Jason Davis, Kris Frick, Tyrell Burgess, Keishen Bean, Tuarean Manders, Antonio Lowe, McQuinn Burch, Jacqi Simons, Jahnai Raynor, Logan Alexander, Robert Richardson, Shayne Hollis, Jared Peniston, Stephen Astwood, Damon Ming, John Barry Nusum.