Postponement of tonight?s Friendship Trophy and First Division Shield games has been welcomed by national coach Kenny Thompson as he prepares for this Sunday?s World Cup qualifying match against Montserrat.

Bermuda Football Association decided yesterday to call off all domestic football this week to ensure that national team players remain healthy ahead of the crucial first leg match at the National Sports Centre.

Games including Sunday?s drawn FA Cup ties involving Dandy Town and St.George?s, St.David?s and Devonshire Colts and Boulevard and Devonshire Cougars will now have to be rescheduled next month, as will the Cougars-Boulevard Friendship Trophy match and the St.David?s-PHC Shield contest, both of which were originally slated for Devonshire Rec. tonight.

Premier and First Division league action scheduled for this Sunday has also been put on hold, although all Commercial League matches on Saturday will go ahead as originally planned.

?It is certainly welcome news in that the players can now devote 100 percent focus on the World Cup match this Sunday,? said Thompson yesterday.

?Now we don?t have to keep our fingers crossed over players becoming injured in competitive matches prior to Sunday?s game because there were some concerns about players having to play back-to-back competitive matches this week.?

The national team will train every day this week before taking up temporary residence at an undisclosed local hotel as coach Thompson intensifies his preparations.

Thompson confirmed yesterday that US based professional striker John (Barry) Nusum would be available for Sunday?s match but overseas players Kevin Richards and Chris Moulder will both miss out.

Richards will be absent due to school commitments (see story above) and Moulder through an injury picked up during the recent friendly series against Trinidad.

The squad currently in training will be reduced to 18 players following tomorrow night?s training session.