The other day I decided to treat my son to a game of local football. I saw the game between Dandy Town and my team, North Village, which ultimately ended in a tame draw. I will confess that since I also watched the Junior Division match, my little Johnny wanted to leave after only 30 minutes of the senior clash. But, as the score was 0-0, I obviously didn't miss too much. We'll come back to this, after we visit the Top 20.Soaring to number 1 is Sexy Back by Justin Timberlake. You gotta give JT his due; he was definitely the most talented member of his boy band NSynch. Where are the others now and what are they doing? However, the reason this track is atop the Bermuda Top 20 is because of the Gospel flavoured remix entitled, Jesus Back, by John and Angela who do the Gospel Show on Elroy RC Smith's Chicago based sister Radio Stations.

Back to secular music, up to number 2 is Beyonce with her new hit Ring the Alarm, featuring Bermudian Collie Budz. Colin (his real name) is off the hook! When was the last time a Bemudian had a mega hit or collaboration with a leading pop star and icon? I just don't remember. Tumbling to number 3 is Money Maker, from Ludacris and Pharrell, one of the most popular tracks on the circuit.

Improving to number 4 is Say Goodbye by teenage heartthrob Chris Brown. Young cuties just love this cat. Improving to number 5 is Take Me as I Am by Mary J. Blige, who is still the Queen of R&B. On the way up at number 6 is Get Up by Ciara featuring Chamillionaire. Falling to number 7 is the single from Janet & Nelly, entitled Call On Me. It's time for a few more singles to drop from her CD. Falling to number 8 is Déj|0xe0| Vu from the reigning Queen and King of Hip Hop, Beyonce and Jay-Z.

Holding at number 9 is A Public Affair by Jessica Simpson, whilst Paris Hilton with her dance hit Turn it Up, refuses to yield its position at number 10. Improving to number 11 is Jay Z's latest hit, Show Me What You Got.

Falling to number 12 is Pulling me back by Chingy featuring Tyrese. Down to #13 is I know you see it by Young Joc featuring Brandy Ms. B Hambrick. Tumbling to #14 is S.E.X. by Lyfe Jennings.

Up to number 15 is my girl Madonna with her latest hit Jump, from her unbelievably banging CD from earlier this year. This song is hot too. Moving upwards to number 16 is Come Around by Bermudian Collie Budz. Go Colin! Slipping to number 17 is Sexy Love by Ne-Yo, one of the hottest new male vocalists in the business. Falling to number 18 is Luther Vandross with his dance hit Shine. However, the best mix is the Freemasons Remix. Up one space to number 19 is My Love by Justin Timberlake featuring T.I., last week's essential new tune.

On the way out at number 20 is Sean Paul featuring Keyshia Cole, with (When You Gonna) Give It Up To Me, still one of the hottest dancehall tracks around.

Now back to this week's word — local soccer. For the past five years or so, I have vehemently argued against any person who said that the standard of local soccer has declined. I would say that they are just old farts who are hating on the younger generation. I have refused to be this kind of former player. With cricket I never diss and the fact that the Bermuda National Cricket Team is playing in the World Cup says to me that our cricket is further advanced than our football.

However, I have to admit that I was stunned at the level of soccer that is being played. I'd like to think that Village and Dandy town are two of the best teams on the island; they're both probably in the top three. This sounds bad, but if the standard of 'ball I saw a couple of weeks ago is any indication of where we are with our soccer programme, Government needs to put more into it than the $11 million they spent on cricket. Here's an idea. We should bring in Zinadene Zidane. I can't think of anyone else who can get our guys motivated to work hard, but I digress.

I'm 42 years old and haven't played consistent organised soccer in 12 years, but I am here to tell you that I could have been inserted into the heart of North Village's defence on that Sunday afternoon at St. John's Road and the only person that would have given me problems would be Carlos Smith. However, they had him playing so deep that he wouldn't have really been a threat. I couldn't believe that our guys played so poorly. There is no wonder why we struggle at the international level. I suspect that the National Team is better because it has the best of the best, but God the others are pitiful.

Not only is their first touch horrible, but they seem to run out of ideas when attacking goal. Its pretty simple guys; you have to put the ball in the other guy's goal, or at least aim to do that. I would bet anybody that although I don't play regularly, I could last/play at least the first 45 minutes of a Premier Division match and probably not concede a goal. That's how bad things are today.

Our guys are small and weak. This is why they get pushed around in international football. You can be small, but you don't have to be weak. If you are small, go to the gym and get stronger, to compensate for your lack of size. Believe me, it works.

So, modern footballers have made me out to be a liar. I thought all this time that our league football wasn't so bad, but I was wrong. It is very bad and it will not get us into the World Cup. We need a football academy where youngsters are taught how to be students of the game, how to eat, sleep and drink football, like my boy Andrew Bascome and his brother did when they were younger. No offence, but I don't see anybody out there in these guys' class.

So what do we do? First, we need to show our young players how far behind they are. The game has left us behind and we don't have a clue. However, with an adequate investment by Government and the private sector; and with genuine commitment from players, coaches and administrators of all age groups; with a consistent system and style of soccer that is to be played by everybody in Bermuda, we can begin to close the gap. But we must start now.

The penalty for not investing in football is that since football is played by a greater percentage of people than any other sport, if we don't invest in it, we will be giving many young males less to do which will cause them to possible engage in crime, violence, drugs and other forms of antisocial behaviour. So, if we want to keep some of these dudes off the streets; let's get them involved in organised soccer. Peace.