Bermuda coach Gary Darrell firmly believes that the nucleus of players under his control have the potential to become a great squad.

Speaking ahead of next week's tour match against a visiting Jamaican Under-23 team, Darrell told TheRoyal Gazette yesterday he believed the team was able to surpass the efforts of the previous national team he coached back in 1992. However, he also conceded that there was still a lot of work to be done.

Darrell is currently putting a mixed select team of Under-23 and senior players through their paces at the National Sports Centre in preparation for the festive tour.

That team will play against the Jamaicans on Boxing Day and New Year's Day, while the Bermuda Football Association's Premier Division leaders at the mid-season break - either Devonshire Colts or North Village - will take on the visiting Caribbean team on December 29. All matches will be held at the National Sports Centre.

During his previous tenure at the helm of the senior national team, Darrell guided Bermuda to the second round of the World Cup qualifiers - the furthest any national team has advanced in the competition.

“I think that this group has all the potential but we still need to work a bit harder,” he said yesterday.

“They certainly are not quite on the same level as the team that we had eight years ago . . . but then again that didn't happen overnight either.”

Darrell is banking on the likes of former national team skipper Meshach Wade, Jamaul Boyles, Rohaan Simons, Torry Davis, Stephen Astwood, Kaiwon Dill as well as Johnny Ball, Jahnai Raynor, Adrian Burrows, Darren Dowling, Aldophus Lambert, Clevon Hill, Damon Ming and Dwayne (Streaker) Adams to get the senior national programme off on a solid footing.

PHC duo Otis Steede and Stanton Lewis were also a part of Darrell's initial team plans but injury may rule the pair out for next week's series. The coach also mentioned that invitations had been extended to overseas players Jay Smith, Kofi Dill and Ralph Bean Jr. who are all set to return home from studies over the festive holiday.

Darrell admitted that things have been difficult in these early stages.

“I think it's been kind of tough getting it going in the early part of the season. I really didn't want to pick people from the way that they are playing now,” he said. “I've been watching games every Sunday. But once we finally get up and going they will certainly become the nucleus of the squad.”

He said that player attendance for training sessions had been good.

“We have been training every Wednesday (night) and Saturday mornings since October,” Darrell said.

“This is an initial squad and it's almost certain that some changes will be made.”

Darrell said he was looking forward to seeing the team in action regularly over the coming months.

“This is still just the initial stages as we are trying to get the senior team going again,” he said.

“Canada are coming in early next year and we are still waiting for further word on the Pan American Games. We won't know that until January as I've been made to understand.”