With all of the distractions going on around him, football might have been the furthest thing from the mind of national football coach Kyle Lightbourne yesterday.

But rather than let setbacks get the better of him, Lightbourne chose instead to keep focused on the bigger task at hand ? qualification to January?s Digicel Cup in Trinidad and Tobago.

Bermuda open their Group G qualifiers tomorrow at the National Stadium in St.Michael?s against a highly- rated St.Vincent & Grenadines team they last drew 3-3 with two years ago in St.Vincent.

It is a match the Island must come away from with nothing short of a point if they are to keep their hopes of advancing to the finals alive.

And all 20 members of the Island?s national team are fully aware of the difficult task that awaits them.

Bermuda held a team meeting last night and plan to hold a light training session today at the National Stadium in the hope of quickly acclimatising themselves to the hot and humid conditions here in Barbados.

?First of all we have planned a couple of technical meetings and different things like that, and then we will go from there,? coach Lightbourne explained.

?Paul (assistant coach Paul Scope) and myself will also go and have a look at the pitch earlier on in the day to familiarise ourselves with the surroundings.?

In what has now become the norm, Lightbourne will not reveal his starting 11 until just prior to tomorrow?s early evening kick-off.

And while little is known of Bermuda?s opponents, on paper the Island?s squad is nicely blended with youth and experience ? though for tomorrow?s opening clash the team will be without suspended team skipper Kentoine Jennings.

Jennings was sent off in the previous Digicel Cup first round clash with US Virgin Islands last September, leaving Lightbourne to fill the void ahead of a crucial match.

Overseas based John Barry Nusum, Khano Smith, Tyrell Burgess, Logan Alexander, Kevin Richards and Tuarean Manders have now joined the squad that remains upbeat despite encountering an eventful journey to the Caribbean.

Smith appeared to be in good spirits following New England?s heartbreaking defeat in the MLS Cup nearly a week ago.

Devonshire Cougars? dynamic midfielder Domico Coddington was obviously delighted to be reunited with the former Dandy town striker ? and hopefully this reunion will translate to success on the pitch itself.

Morale in the camp remains high, while the team?s chances are as good as any of their rivals.

Meanwhile, Bermuda Football Association (BFA) general secretary David Sabir has urged national team members not to get caught up in the hype of new cash incentives recently pumped into the Digicel Cup ? but instead try and adhere to the Association?s mandate of becoming the best country in the Concacaf region.

Title sponsors Digicel announced on Thursday that the four teams that ultimately advance from January?s finals to be held in Trinidad and Tobago will share $270,000 among them.

The eventual Digicel Cup winner will pocket $120,000, runner?s up $70,000, third-placed $50,000 and fourth $30,000 in addition to qualifying for next year?s Concacaf Gold Cup in the US.