IF Bermuda’s Under-23 football team fails to bring home gold from the Island Games it won’t be for lack of preparation.The squad has been hard at work since April cramming in gruelling training sessions up to five times a week.

Incredibly coach Kenny Thompson is now stepping up the regime to six sessions every seven days ahead of the tournament in Rhodes next month!

But those worrying that Bermuda’s budding stars could be in danger of burn-out needn’t fear.

The schedule, complete with rest days, is planned to the nth degree by Thompson.

He told the Mid-Ocean News: “The whole training programme takes into account training sessions in Rhodes, matches and days in between matches.”

He admits he is asking a lot of his young charges as he hammers home the message of no alcohol or fried foods — but it’s nothing he isn’t prepared to do himself.

Friday night is no longer a big hanging-out night for the players with training on Saturday morning. The same goes for Saturday night as Sunday training looms.

And even though his young protégés are of an age when partying has most appeal, so far no-one has quit the demanding programme.

“One or two players didn’t take up the invite to join the squad. But from those who have — all of them are still here.

“They have been a joy to work with. I enjoy watching them in training and in matches.”

Physical preparation is always done with the game in mind. Players have bungee ropes attached to them as they jump for headers to simulate coping with difficult pitch conditions. And as they work with resistance bands they are told it helps with holding off opponents challenging for the ball.

“It’s much better than going to a weight room and bench-pressing 150 pounds. All that helps you do is bench-press 150 pounds.

“We will be one of the fittest teams there. Fitness alone won’t win you anything but not being fit will definitely cause you to lose.

“You can have the technique of Kaka, Ronaldinio or Thierry Henry but you are not fit it means nothing.”

Like most Island Games sports it is difficult for Bermuda’s footballers to gauge their opposition as they have never met them before. This is why Thompson is making sure Bermuda have done everything they can to make the most of their own potential.

But Thompson is confident Bermuda have a chance of getting gold.

“It’s important we develop the winning culture,” he said.

That’s where the prep work comes in. It has him still up in the early hours planning sessions and reviewing matches to pick up technical pointers. It’s a tall order for Thompson who has a full-time teaching job at CedarBridge as well as three children of his own under the age of six.

“I don’t ask anymore than I am prepared to do myself. In order to be successful, players have to be in peak physical condition. They must be prepared to work extremely hard on the training ground,” said the 42-year-old Thompson who studied exercise physiology in university.

“I always worked very hard but have not always very smart. As a player I could have achieved more while doing a lot less.”

So he kept studying and the programme he is using now is the culmination of years of study of the training techniques of coaches from all over including Holland, France, England, and the US.

Ball control under tight pressure is another key point as Thompson moulds a passing team based on a conventional 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 formation — but with players taught to switch positions as play develops. Again it requires speed — of thought and action.

Soon Bermuda will see whether all the hard work has paid off when

Bermuda takes on Ynys M|0xf4|n and Aaland in the group stage in the Island Games. Home sides Rhodes, a Greek Island which boasts 48 football clubs, and Jersey could provide the biggest threats if Bermuda get into the semi-finals.

There have been warm-up games against the Under-18s and the Bermuda Hogges while a game against Commercial League outfit Lobster Pot is planned.

“Against the Hogges we lost 4-1 but the performance was quite satisfactory but there was a lot of room for improvement. There was a lack of experience and a little bit of technical immaturity.”

Although excited about taking an Under-23 side to the Island Games for the first time Thompson stressed it was only the first step for the squad.

Next up are the Olympic qualifiers in September. But ultimately he hopes the players can filter through to the national team in time for the World Cup qualifiers in February 2008 and the Digicel Tournament. Plenty have the potential though he is reluctant to single out any particular players.

“I have a lot of faith in those young players to be part of the full national team programme.”