He loves Devonshire Rec. but Andrew Bascome says the attitude of certain prima donna players might force the club to choose between him and such footballers.

While the veteran coach is not considering quitting at present, he refuses to be continually frustrated by certain players whom he charges are undermining his role.

""It's one or two influential ones who are causing trouble. It's been a problem since I got there.

"When is it going to stop? I wonder when they are going to have the confidence in me to let me do my job while they just play football. It's very discouraging" he declared.

Bascome, who has been coaching since he was 22, first ventilated such views after last Tuesday night's 3-2 replay defeat against North Village in the FA Cup quarter-finals. This was after Devonshire Cougars squandered a two-goal cushion with seven minutes of extra-time remaining in the first quarter-final encounter last Sunday against the Rams.

Noting that as a player he concentrated on "just trying to improve in the game" and "never got caught up in coaching decisions", he disclosed that he was now faced with players who want "to make decisions and control the team".

The 41-year-old said he could only conclude that the "superstars" at the Den were previously "allowed to do what they want".

"Maybe that's always been their behaviour and maybe that's why they have not been successful . . . but I'm not going to tolerate certain things," he stressed.

"Some heads may have to roll. Some of them may have to go or the club would have to make a decision between me and them (the said players).

"I'm tired of these weekly battles where they want to question what I'm saying or what I'm asking them to do or if I move a player from a particular position. They must respect the coach or how will we be able to go forward with these in-house battles? It's really starting to irritate me!"

Querying how Cougars could have excelled so far this season with such unruly individuals among them, Bascome noted that many of those giving him headaches did not graduate from the club's junior ranks but rather have been recruited from elsewhere.

This, he said, may be part of the problem as they may not respect Devonshire, its history or way of conduct.

"I challenge them to go back to their own clubs and see if they can get away with the stuff they try at Devonshire Rec. Who knows, maybe that's why they left their clubs in the first place.

"They have to change and be humble and realise that while they may be good players this is Bermuda and nobody is knocking on their doors asking them to come and play professionally.

"Some of them feel they are bigger than the club," continued the coach.

Bascome, who plans to read the riot act to Cougars at today's practice session, said he hopes "they read about this before I talk to them so they know how I feel".