Bermuda Football Association (BFA) yesterday blew the whistle on their Under-20 and Under-17 programmes - a day after both resumed.

This followed correspondence from National Sports Centre (NSC) officials indicating that training for these squads could not be accommodated at the facility's North Field.

BFA General Secretary David Sabir and Technical Director Kenny Thompson reacted angrily, charging that this was the latest twist in the long-standing dispute between the BFA and the NSC over $109,000 in unpaid bills for the association's use of the Frog Lane complex.

“It more than likely has something to do with money. We have a training bill for $109,000 and they expect the BFA to pay it. I understand the NSC has costs that are necessary to maintain it but at the same time the BFA, in no way or form, has $109 000,” said Thompson, who along with Sabir broke the bleak news to Under-20 players who turned up for practice yesterday.

However, it appeared last night that the BFA were mistaken in their thinking on this occasion as Deputy Chairman of the NSC's Board of Trustees, Sean Tucker, quickly moved to dispel the BFA's accusations, insisting the matter had nothing to do with money.

Reading from a succession of e-mails between NSC personnel and the BFA, he told The Royal Gazette the issue related to a conflict in requests for use of the NSC throughout summer.

Tucker said the football authorities - via an e-mail from Thompson on May 14 - had written to him asking for the Under-17 and Under-20 national squad to be permitted to train extensively in the coming months in preparation for their respective World Cup qualifiers and for a tour to the USA. However, given previous commitments to other sports, this request could not be fulfilled.

“I replied to him (Thompson) and told him I would forward his request to (NSC General Manager) Mr. (Cliff) Wade at the stadium who has direct access to the diary (for bookings) but I warned him that as we approach summer greater demands were being made for the North Field which is also used for cricket, hockey and athletics and that it also has to be maintained.

“With the maintenance schedule, the cricket schedule and the other sports that use the field there was just no way we could accommodate the Under-17 and Under-20 training schedules that he gave,” recalled Tucker, adding that Thompson had scheduled “almost 50 (training) dates between June and July”.

“It was as simple as that. The letter made no reference to $109,000. It has nothing to do with money at all.

“We never told them they couldn't use the field because of any indebtedness. We bend over backwards to accommodate the BFA.”

He reasoned that if money was the problem then the senior national squad, now preparing for their second-round World Cup qualifiers against El Salvador, would be prohibited from training at the NSC too.

Quoting Wade's letter to the NSC directly to support his contention, Tucker said: “We refer to your recent e-mail to Sean Tucker wherein you requested use of the NSC's North Field for training by the Under-17 and Under-20 teams in May, June, July and August, 2004.

“We regret to advise that the North Field is not available to these teams for training. However, in conformity with the policy set out by the Ministry of Sports, the NSC will, pending prior commitments and other scheduling, be available for two weeks' run-up to an international competition.

“Kindly advise us of the proposed dates of the international competitions in which these two teams are involved.”

Tucker urged the BFA to remember that the North Field was not “a training ground” and not for BFA's exclusive use but is, in fact, a competition ground which was in very high demand.

Cricket alone will take up a large chunk of the ground's availability in the coming months, starting with the Lloyds Tour in two weeks. Games are scheduled to be played there on June 19, 23, 24 and 26. Then there is the ICC Americas Regional Tournament from July 5-11 and Bermuda's three-day fixture against the USA in the Inter-Continental Cup from July 13-15.

In addition, the play-off stage of the two-day domestic tournament is slated for the NSC in early August and the Barbados national team tour will be hosted at that venue in September.

Meanwhile, Thompson noted the Under-17 and Under-20 programme had been suspended since last year over the money dispute and were only now restarting because of upcoming international tournaments.

Both teams have World Cup qualifiers in August; the Under-17s in Cuba and the Under-20s in Jamaica. Warm-up matches are also planned for July against teams in the USA's Super Y League.

Thompson said the BFA had no alternative training plan at this time and would have to now consider their next move.

The senior national coach lamented the prevailing sentiment towards football in Bermuda left much to be desired and questioned the country's commitment to the sport's development.

“It demonstrates that as a country we are not prepared to invest in our young people. We make all sorts of demands on and have all sorts of expectations of our young people but when the youth demonstrate the commitment, motivation and desire in meeting the demands we are quick to disappoint them.

“Even when it comes to the senior national team, we're getting ready for the World Cup but I don't feel the support of our country. It's almost like we're playing for ourselves and it shouldn't be that way.”