Kevin Richards? dream of playing professional football has again been put on hold.

The 2004 Major League Soccer (MLS) Superdraft fourth-round pick, who suited up for the national team on Thursday night, was overlooked by coaching staff at Colorado Rapids during a pre-season run out in Florida last week.

Prior to venturing to the sunshine state, Richards had been whipping himself into shape at Notre Dame University in preparation for another shot at making the grade and landing a contract to play for the Western Conference side. Only late last year an ankle injury denied the player of a realistic chance of landing a contract at English Conference side Barnet.

Instead, Richards put his Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and Political Science to good use, landing a job at insurance giant ACE in London where he was employed as an internal auditor.

But when new MLS laws allowing teams to expand their rosters and increase the number of international players among their ranks came into effect, having been drafted the year before, the Bermudian was promptly summoned for additional trials in the US.

Recognising it was a gamble, Richards nonetheless decided to take the chance and left ACE on good terms to pursue a long-time dream of playing professional football wary of the thin line between failure and success.

?I knew it was going to be tough. But it was worth it and something I definitely thought I could achieve,? Richards told .

?I was at Notre Dame (University) training for five weeks and then I went down to Florida with Colorado. But I only trained with them for three days and that was it really. I didn?t play in any of the practice matches.

?But it was very disappointing and I knew going into it I had a 50/50 shot because they (Rapids) didn?t have a whole lot of space on their team roster.

?A lot of people just don?t understand football is a very tough business and my experience in the past year with football as a business has been completely different than in the past.?

In the past, Richards said his involvement in football was purely for the ?love of the game?. But it didn?t take him long to realise how difficult making the professional grade would be.

?The football business is really cut throat and anything can happen and it?s really all about luck because all of the players are so similar on talent level,? he noted.

?So it?s really all about luck or if you played well on a particular day and maybe the coach takes a chance on you. Otherwise you might end up being where I am.?

Fortunately, it was a decision to place more emphasise on education rather than solely on football which gives Richards many options beyond the football pitch today.

Richards graduated from Notre Dame University last year with a double major.

?If I didn?t get a good education I don?t know where I?d be right now,? he said. ?A lot of players in England, when they get injured or aren?t playing football, don?t have the option of moving away from football. They have to stay and become a coach ? even if they don?t want to ? because they don?t know anything else.?

With his one-off shot at playing in the MLS this season now a thing of the past, Richards has already taken steps to return to London and ACE, while a dream of playing semi-pro in the UK persists.

?There?s other things that I?m interested in,? he said. ?I still hope to join a semi-pro team and work at the same time. That?s what I?m really thinking about doing because from there you can get picked up if somebody thinks you are good.

?I?m also hoping I can get my job back (at ACE). I spoke to my boss and he?s making some calls for me. So at the moment all I can do is wait and see what happens.?

Richards is due to return to the UK next Tuesday.

Meanwhile, FA Cup semi-final action takes centre stage at Southampton Oval tomorrow where cup giants Somerset Trojans resume a quest to become the first club ever to record ten triumphs in the prestigious competition.

Trojans are heavily favoured over First Division outfit Hamilton Parish, though the Hot Peppers might beg to differ.

While the West Enders are expected to be at full strength, with the likes of strikers Stephen Astwood, Jelani Scott, Clevon Hill and Rohaan Simons reportedly back among the ranks, Parish will again rely on the services of veterans Irving Burgess, Corey Hill, Leon Raynor and Sean Dill to get the job done.

But their task is a daunting one against a Trojans side eager to finally advance past the penultimate stage after appearing in the past two semi-finals and through to a first FA Cup final since 1990.

Parish will be without the services of key player Desmond Crockwell who was sent off during his team?s league clash with Wolves last week.

In Women?s FA Cup semi-final play, BISYS Royals take on Dandy Stars at Southampton Oval to challenge for the right to meet Lady Cougars in next month?s final.

Tomorrow will also see First Division St.George?s attempt to keep their promotion hopes alive when they host Prospect at Wellington Oval.

Premier Division action resumes on Monday night, when leaders Dandy Town face hot pursuing Devonshire Cougars in a crucial clash at the Den.