Kyle Lightbourne?s first matches in charge of the national side are in severe doubt due to Hurricane Ivan?s destruction of the Cayman Islands.

Bermuda were due to compete in a four-team round-robin stage of the Copa Caribe in the storm-ravaged Island at the end of October although complete communication breakdown with the Caribbean Island group has left the matches up in the air.

Originally the Island side were due to take on Aruba in home and away matches but the latter country?s withdrawal bought the Bermuda Football Association more time to make the national coach appointment.

And now the next stage of the competition is also in doubt, although Lightbourne remains confident his side will be ready ? even though they are yet to resume training since their World Cup campaign ended in June ? if the competition can somehow be resurrected.

Bermuda were due to take on Cayman, St. Vincent and the British Virgin Islands in the competition but attempts by the BFA to contact the Cayman by e-mail and phone have so far been unsuccessful.

?We don?t really know what is going on down there at the moment,? said Lightbourne, who revealed there would be some new faces in his next training squad, due to be announced later in the week.

?But if it does go ahead, yes, we will be ready. You don?t need six or seven weeks to prepare for a tournament. There would be players who wouldn?t be turning up for training at this early stage but as long as you get two weeks where the players are together every day immediately beforehand then that is all you need.

?We have the rare luxury of a group of players who can be summoned at a day?s notice, something that many other countries can?t do.

?For most international games, coaches only get a couple of days to prepare and even for the big tournaments they only get together for two weeks before.

?We will be ready if there is football to be played.?

BFA general secretary David Sabir confirmed he had made attempts to contact Cayman, but admitted he had no idea whether this stage of the tournament would go ahead.

?It is a matter of waiting and seeing,? said Sabir.

?Of course, we would love to be involved in this competition so we hope something can be sorted out ? it is part of our mandate to be involved in as much international football as possible.?

If the games are on ? and Bermuda can get through the group stage ? they would then play a semi-final home and away tie in January, followed by another two-leg knockout game in February and then a four-team group final in Barbados in April.