Bermuda Football Association's decision to drop the Under-18 Youth League has received mixed reviews.

During an interview with The Royal Gazette last week, BFA Youth Development director Kenny Thompson revealed that the Under-18 League had been scrapped in favour of reinstating an Under-17 League, leaving players over the age of 18 to continue their development at either the senior level or in the BFA's Alliance Division.

But there are some who believe that the Under-18 division should have remained as it affords young players a final opportunity to develop their skills before moving on to the senior ranks.

"Now you're forcing a 17-year-old to go play in the Alliance Division when he's probably not mature enough to compete at that level," said Southampton Rangers official Randy Raynor.

"A lot of these clubs have Alliance (reserve) teams, but they are going to have a different group of people playing, like those who can't make the First Division side from the original 18.

"I'd rather see all under-18s playing together so that they can come up together and not pick up any bad habits from the senior players."

In contrast, St. George's player Herbie Bascome has always felt that the Alliance Division should have been used as a development league for junior players aged 18 and over, and as such he supports the BFA's decision to scrap the Under-18 League.

"I'm totally for it if it's going to be used correctly," said Bascome. "I always though that the Alliance Division should have been used for that reason.

"I have coached Premier Division soccer before. You have guys that don't want to make the first team and just want to be a part of it. But yet they are taking an opportunity for a youngster who is coming through to play on a Saturday. That's your breeding ground."

Thompson, meanwhile, stood by the BFA's decision.

"In the past there was an Under-17 League as well as an Under-19," he said. "What happened was that we found that there were not enough players and teams registering in the Under-19 age group, and so it was then decided to merge the two leagues.

"As a result of that merger, we have found that younger players have felt intimidated playing with under-18 and 19 year-olds - and rightfully so.

"The potential to hinder their development playing against players or opponents who were physically stronger came into effect, and so we were actually losing players who had just turned 16, because they didn't want to participate in a league with older players."

Thompson noted that the Alliance Division was originally designed as a development league for players on the verge of breaking into the senior ranks.

"With a player who is 18 or 19 being that much more developed physically to participate in the senior league, I think that the clubs must now utilise the reserve division for what the original intention was in the first place, and that was for development of players not quite yet ready to play in the first team.

"You are always going to have a case where someone is not going to be happy, but from our standpoint and looking at the development of youth football, we certainly don't want to make 16 year-olds unhappy to such a point that they decide not to play at all. At least the older boys aged between 18 and 19 now have the option of playing in their reserve division.

"It only makes sense for these older players to play in the reserve division to further their development as opposed to playing against 16-year-olds."