Shaun Goater says criticism of his commitment, or lack of, to Bermuda's cause fills him with "great sadness" and has once again stressed that his playing days for the national team are not yet over.

The Island striker found himself in the firing line after declining an invitation from the Bermuda Football Association to take part in the current tour matches against Barbados and, more importantly, the World Cup 2006 qualifiers in February.

Goater, who is currently recovering from an knee injury that has kept him out of the Reading side, told national soccer coach, Kenny Thompson, he wanted to concentrate on his club football in England and believed his place should be given to an up-and-coming player.

However, both the BFA hierarchy and former national coaches, Clyde Best and Mark Trott, criticised his decision, the former suggesting he was duty-bound to represent his country if they came calling.

"I think it is very important for us to make it abundantly clear that the BFA, via the national coach, invited Shaun because we wanted Shaun and we believed that Shaun would be a valuable asset to our international aspirations, in particular World Cup qualifying and, in some regards, our matches against Barbados," said BFA General Secretary David Sabir in a Royal Gazette interview last week."Let us also make it abundantly clear that Shaun Goater has said he has no desire or no intentions or at this particular time is not interested in playing for Bermuda."

Sabir added: "We continually say that we should be committed to representing Bermuda. We put the onus always on the local players. But for the BFA there is no distinction between local and international, amateur or pro, and I think the same values should be accepted by all of Bermuda. If you are Bermudian and you have been asked to represent your country, you should do it because it's the right thing to do and you believe as an individual that it's the right thing to do."

Goater declined to be drawn on the topic when asked last week, but in his exclusive On the Ball column in today's paper he does address the issue.

The 33-year-old said by doing so he wanted to draw a line under the subject and hoped his explanation would be accepted by both his critics and the wider public.

"I have gained great satisfaction from both representing my club and my country," he wrote. "One of my most enjoyable and proudest occasions was representing Bermuda in the 1994 World Cup preliminary games.

"This is why it gives me a sense of great sadness when Bermudians think I have no pride in playing for Bermuda.

"Having just recovered from an operation I wanted to concentrate on getting myself back playing regularly. I wanted to get a consistent run of games under my belt.

"I would also like to reiterate that I would love to represent my country again, it's just that the timing is not right."

Goater said he was hoping to talk with the BFA, but as yet had not been able to.

"I am hoping to speak to them again and have a more extensive conversation, giving my explanation and reasoning, and hope that we can come to a mutual understanding," he wrote.