But where does that leave Bermuda Football Association and the coach himself.

After all that has been said -- and probably more significantly, not said -- one wonders whether the two parties can now enjoy a successful working relationship.

As Bermuda approaches what may be the most crucial year in its soccer history -- World Cup qualifiers, Olympic qualifiers as well as international youth tournaments -- the BFA may be rueing the timing of their announcement.

They will argue they were under pressure -- not least from this newspaper -- to reveal whether Best's contract would be renewed when it expires in March.

But, really, that decision should have been made long before Best began his preparations for the competitions that lie ahead this year.

Leaving it so late and then refusing to explain their decision, they shouldn't really have been surprised by the public backlash that followed.

Now we're told -- although typically the BFA are saying nothing -- that a deal is being discussed which would amount to a U-turn.

Best would remain in charge through the World Cup and Olympic qualifiers, and his contract discussed once Bermuda have been eliminated.

Best himself may well agree to such an arrangement, particularly if some of his own proposals are accepted, but it's hardly an ideal situation.

The coach would be working with a gun to his head -- every game a do or die situation. Once Bermuda are eliminated, he loses his job.

If the BFA are indeed about to backtrack, wouldn't it be better to offer Best a contract of specific length once the current deal is terminated -- a year at least, in which time they could make the kind of professional job assessment which doesn't appear to have been made over the past two and a half years.

And that deal, we might hope, would include the coach and the president, who we are told have barely spoken to each other during Best's tenure, putting their personal grievances to one side for the good of the game.

Throughout this contract saga, it's been interesting to note the total silence of the politicians who one might have thought would have offered at least moral support for a man whose silky soccer skills during his West Ham heyday did more to put this country on the map than any number of ambassadorial trips overseas.

PLP MP Randy Horton, himself one of the Island's finest players, was particularly vocal in support of Best on his appointment, yet has said nothing publicly in recent weeks, nor for that matter Sports Minister Dennis Lister.

One wonders if that could have anything to do with the fact that Tyrrell, besides being BFA president, is also PLP secretary general.

We would hope not. But while the public in general seem to have been shocked by Best's axeing, the silence of those in authority has been deafening.

Soccer is the national sport and Government provide a hefty annual grant. But the lack of reaction suggests they couldn't care less.

After all, if Best is to be replaced as technical director, it's more than likely that a replacement will be hired from overseas.

A foreigner to replace a Bermudian? Wouldn't Immigration have something to say about that? -- ADRIAN ROBSON