Bermuda?s national soccer team are hoping to be involved in a series of World Cup warm-up matches against Central American opposition, coach Kenny Thompson revealed yesterday.

With the Island team almost certain to advance into the next round of World Cup qualifying following Sunday?s 13-0 walloping of Montserrat in a first round, first leg game at the National Sports Centre, Thompson has already set his sights on June?s second qualifying round opponents, El Salvador.

?It is important that we now focus a little attention to the next round against El Salvador ? though the job is not quite completed against Montserrat,? said Thompson yesterday.

?I will be making a request to travel overseas to observe the El Salvadorian team in some of their upcoming matches and we will also be looking to play a few matches (against national teams in the region) inbetween the second leg against Montserrat and the El Salvador match.

?We will try to get opponents from the Central American region to help familiarise our players with the style we can expect from El Salvador.?

Following Sunday?s massacre, the coach has temporarily relaxed national team training ? until this Saturday.

?We are currently in the process of putting together the technical plan for our activities between now and El Salvador. We will get the players together on Saturday and by that time I will have mapped out a long-term plan for training,? Thompson pointed out.

?It is important that we can turn some attention to El Salvador and that we use the entire time between now and the El Salvador matches to prepare because we will certainly need it against a much higher quality opponent.?

Last week it was discovered Bermuda Football Association had been involved in talks behind the scenes in an effort to acquire the services of Reading?s Bermudian striker Shaun Goater.

Now coach Thompson makes no secret of the fact that Goater is very much in his future plans ? especially for what is anticipated to be a extremely tough home and away series against El Salvador.

?At this time we are really looking at having Shaun in the team but should anything else materialise, then certainly we will give other players a call. But at this time definitely we will look to include Shaun and Kevin (Richards) as part of our plans. The only reason Richards missed last Sunday?s match was due to academic commitments.?

On hand at the National Sports Centre to witness the Island?s lopsided win was El Salvador coach Juan Paredes, who might have taken particular note of Bermuda?s right-sided attacking approach to the match.

Thompson, however, quickly defended his team?s tactics and use of the right-flank which was repeatedly exploited by the nimbleness of hat-trick hero Damon Ming.

?This is not unusual. In fact, in the analysis of the French national team during the Confederations Cup, most of their attacks were down the left-side,? he noted.

?This is not an unusual situation for teams to be in. We certainly try to balance our attacks down the wings, whether down the left or right or through the middle. And we aim to be dangerous on either flank or during our combinations through the middle.

?I think it was something the players recognised immediately, given Damon (Ming) was finding immediate success down the right side. So naturally that?s where you go until the opponent is able to counteract.?