Bermuda football may have lost one of its most influential, articulate and passionate scholars of the game.

For today marks the last day Director of Youth Development Kenny Thompson will spend in his Bermuda Football Association office as he bids farewell some two months before his three-year contract was due to end.

In a final interview with yesterday, Thompson gave the reasons for his decision to relinquish his position at the BFA while at the same time emphasising some of the future challenges facing football in Bermuda.

?My decision to resign is solely based on the lack of long-term job security at this time,? he said.

?As you know my contract comes to an end at the end of April and at this time the association were unable to commit to a long-term extension because of a lack of funds and there was no guarantee those funds would be made available.?

Thompson was presented with a short-term contract, but other ?opportunities? presented themselves.

?At this time I cannot sign on an interim contract basis for job security reasons,? he continued. ?I have a family ? three daughters and a loving wife ? and at the end of the day that?s who I have to look out for.

?I would have been happy to have had my contract extended beyond the initial three years, but because there was no guarantee and other opportunities presented themselves I thought it best to take those opportunities now.?

Still, Thompson insisted he will depart having ?enjoyed? his role at the BFA.

?It was a great challenge to be in a leadership position in football. And I?ve certainly enjoyed everything that?s come with it . . . the high moments as well as some of the frustrating moments,? he said. ?But that?s all a part of life and I?ve enjoyed every aspect of being involved with the BFA.?

During his term as youth director, Thompson rated coaching Bermuda?s 2002 Under-17 World Cup qualifying team through the second round, coaching the Island?s senior national team during last year?s FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, restructuring of both the under-seven and under-nine leagues and providing coaching clinics for local coaches as some of his most memorable achievements.

But he laments over the fact that many coaches did not take the opportunity to attend coaching clinics in order to ?gain more insight into instructional football?.

And it is this apathy demonstrated by coaches which is having an adverse affect on football in general, said Thompson.

?The general attitude in football here in Bermuda is not conducive to achieving excellence,? he noted. ?Those in administrative or organisational positions don?t have the attitude or motivation to be good at what they do.

?The coaches lack the motivation and the passion to be very good at what they do and when I say very good I?m not talking about the standards that are set here . . . I?m talking about international standards.?

Despite the fact football in Bermuda remains an amateur sport, standards, argued Thompson, are way too low while few possess the motivation to improve in order to provide players with the adequate requirements or best instructions possible.

?This only leads to a state of boredom or frustration for some of the better players because they know the expectations are greater as they are players with potential,? Thompson added. ?But those expectations are not met by individuals who are not motivated to provide the best instructions that are possible.

?So in the long run the finger is pointed at the player for lacking discipline and in many ways this is unfair. But the player has to be held accountable as well because sometimes individuals have done enough to meet the technical expectations of the players and then the player still decides not to accept it.

?So everybody has to be held accountable for the low standard of football that we see from the administrators, to instructors to the players. And the general challenge or general frustration in local football often comes from a perspective of far too many involved in football who are not prepared to embrace change or standards that are normal outside of Bermuda.?

Quite often, Thompson noted, expectations placed on winning were far too great for a country of Bermuda?s size.

?I think in order for us to improve our standards a real focus must be placed on youth development,? Thompson stressed. ?And I am talking about a continuous youth development programme and not as we see now with a little bit of activity here and there and then months later absolutely nothing.?

Thompson argued that this sort of approach would ?never? lead to success ? neither at domestic nor international level.

?This will never lead to the development of the type players that we would like to see in Bermuda,? he added. ?In football it takes at least ten years of quality and consistent development in order to produce top players. And a top player is not a top player until he or she is at least in their mid-20s when everything finally falls into place. . . physically, psychologically and tactically on an optimum level.

?But the foundation for this has to be set before the player is 12 years of age ? and that?s the proper technical foundation. The proper technical foundation must be set between the ages of five and 12 and if it?s not then you can almost forget it.

?That?s why we see a lot of technical deficiencies in senior football today because between the crucial years of five and 12 the players are not receiving what they require technically because they are faced quite often with coaches who are not able to communicate or organise the technical ideas that are required for football players.?

Although Thompson opted to keep his cards close to his chest as to his immediate work plans, the former Somerset Trojans, Somerset Eagles and North Village midfielder hinted that he would remain ?involved? in local football in some capacity.

?I expect to be involved in local football in the future,? he said. ?But again job security is the main reason for my decision to resign.

?I have a tremendous passion for football . . . but you can?t take a passion for football to the bank. And at the end of the day I am like everyone else in this society as far as providing for my family is concerned.?