SHAUN Goater longs for a return to Manchester when his playing days are over. The Reading striker, still a hero with the Manchester City fans after five productive seasons there in which his goals helped the club to three promotions, has made it known he would love a coaching job at his former club once his playing days have ended. The 34-year-old is nearing the end of his career and is planning to call it quits when his current Reading contract expires in two years' time. After that Manchester, where he still owns a home, will be his destination prior to an eventual return to Bermuda.

"I've got this season plus two years and that will be the end of my professional career," said Goater, who was back home this week for Bermuda's first friendly match against Nicaragua on Wednesday night. Goater scored with a header and from the penalty spot in Bermuda's 3-0 victory. Bermuda take on Nicaragua in a second match tonight at the National Sports Centre but Goater will not be on the field as he had to fly back to England to meet West Ham in tomorrow's important First Division match.

Goater said: "With me I have different options. In England I have built up such a good rapport with Man City that before shooting straight home I'd want to get involved in football in England.

"I'd like to see myself doing a role in terms of coaching the strikers."

Goater has kept in touch with people at his former club ? in fact chairman John Wardle could be coming to Bermuda at the end of the season for Goater's second Grass-roots Soccer Festival from May 29 to June 5. The event is again being sponsored primarily by XL Capital.

Last year hundreds of children participated in the festival's football skills session at three venues. Entry forms and other information are available on Goater's official website at www.shaungoater.com.

Goater is hoping his relationship with the Manchester City chairman could lead to a coaching job after he retires.

"Depending on how the season goes for City, the chairman could be coming and I'll just ask him about the situation," said the veteran player. "We have such a good understanding that I think he'll say 'yeah, I can see something' or 'no it wouldn't work'.

"I think he'll be open and frank and say 'we don't have something in that position but perhaps we'll have a role for you working with the youth academy as opposed to the first team'."

Like the now-retired Kyle Lightbourne, Goater and wife Anita have the education of two daughters to take into consideration.

"With the girls being in school in England we would want them to stay in England as long as possible in regards to their education," said the striker.

"At the same time we want to come back home ? I know this sounds like a contradiction ? as soon as possible. It will probably be between four and six years until we return."

Goater is hoping in the next few years the Grass-roots Soccer Festival he started last year will continue to grow with the support of sponsorship like that which is provided by XL Capital.

"It's a fun footballing family event and that is what I want to develop it to," he revealed.

"When I return I want to not only put it out there not just for the one week of the summer but also on different holidays."

Goater's goals helped City climb back to the Premiership and he is hoping he can do the same with Reading who are aiming for one of the four playoff spots. Promotion would give Goater one final crack at the Premiership and also the chance to play against Manchester City at their new stadium. He acknowledges time is running out.

"They are in a difficult position (threat of relegation) and I'd rather go there to play knowing they are in the Premiership and secure," said Goater who admits he is still a big fan of the club.

"I've been honoured there in the opening game against Barcelona and they cheered and sang my song so it was a good feeling. I would like to play there at least once."

Goater has no doubts City will pull themselves to safety, and expects the like of Nicolas Anelka and Robbie Fowler to lead the way.

"Anelka's back and scored a goal on his return and Robbie was scoring a few goals so how they (City) do will depend on their form as strikers," said Goater. He admits he is surprised to see the club struggling this season after a promising start.

"If the team is being positive and going forward and scoring goals ? Keegan's teams are about going forward ? they will win more than they'll lose. In the remaining seven or eight games they will just about do it (survive)."

Goater's 13th goal of the season last Saturday broke the heart of his agent Mark Georgevic whose Coventry team lost 2-1 and had their playoff hopes dashed. Georgevic has cheered many Goater goals at Rotherham, Bristol City, Manchester City and now Reading, but Saturday's winner wasn't celebrated.

"I saw him after the game and he said 'I love you and I hate you, all at the same time'," recalled Goater.

"He phoned me after ? we couldn't chat because we (team) left soon after ? and said 'how can you do this to me'. That result, certainly if we win again on Saturday, will diminish their opportunity of getting into the playoffs. He was absolutely distraught.

"His son was the match mascot and I saw him in the tunnel and he said to me 'I hope you score but we win 2-1'. His son is obviously a Coventry fan as well."

A consistent run of results could lift Reading into the top six in the First Division tables and secure a playoff spot. West Ham United, also aiming for a playoff berth, visit Reading on Saturday.

"I will certainly give everything to get back into the Premiership," said Goater.

"It is where you want to be as a player and want to end as a player. When I was running up and down Bernard Park the dream was playing at Wembley, being on that stage."

After scoring consistently with both Rotherham and Bristol City, Goater reached new heights with Manchester City, one of England's top clubs. Even in the Second Division they averaged crowds of 33,000 at home.

"What I did achieve there (at Man City), I'm pleased with in terms of being the highest goal scorer at the club while I was there and the adulation of the fans," said Goater who didn't win over the City fans initially.

"When the fans see you week in and week out you can't fool them or lie to them."

Despite reaching legendary status at Maine Road and initially vowing to finish his career there, Goater does not regret his decision to leave City last year when it became obvious his chances of first team football were becoming fewer under Kevin Keegan who had a preference for his own expensive signings like Anelka and Fowler.

"It was time to leave, I realised that, in the circumstances," he said of his departure to Reading summer. While City regularly attract over 40,000 at their new stadium, Reading average less than 20,000 at home. But they have a very ambitious chairman who wants to take the team into the top division.

"I have no regrets, I looked at it as a new challenge. I have seen it all in terms of the First Division and what it has to offer. Having done some research about the club, everyone told me Alan Pardew and Reading was the club.

"I went on the advice and information I was given by a lot of close friends within the game. After going down there and talking to him and hearing what he had to say, I was convinced Reading was for me.

"The sad thing is he moved on (to West Ham) about three weeks after I was there, but the challenge is still there. It's in our hands to get into the playoffs and once you are in the playoffs it is basically a toss of a coin."