Not all sons of the soil will be cheering on Antonio Pierce and the Giants come Super Bowl XLII.

Although Khano Smith wishes his compatriot all the best for 'the show', the New England Revolution star's loyalties lie with the Patriots. And for valid reasons.

Both the Revs and Pats are owned by Kraft Group and play at the Gillette Stadium. He regularly rubs shoulders with some of their players and has spent nine years of his life in Boston, as both student and soccer professional.

"It's a really tough call for me," said Smith. "I've spent nine years of my life in the area so I've a loyalty to the Pats.

"Both the Pats and Rev's have the same owner. We also play at the same stadium and their locker room is across the hall from us. I have talked to a few of them and I would say I'm friendly with long snapper Lonnie Paxton. I've seen him a few times and he's a good guy. As I say, it's a tough call for me. I'm going to try and sit on the fence on this one."

Smith has reached soccer's Super Bowl equivalent, the MLS Cup, for the last two seasons and experienced successive heartbreaks at the hands of Houston Dynamo.

On a personal level he would not wish the despair of losing a game of such magnitude on Pierce.

"I wish Pierce all the best and he would be the only reason I would like to see the Giants win," said the 26-year-old. "It's good that Bermuda has had two sportsmen reach their big finals recently, although obviously the Super Bowl is far bigger than the MLS Cup. It's probably just behind the World Cup final in terms of its size.

"I will be delighted if a Bermudian wins the Super Bowl but the Pats are the overwhelming favourites. They haven't lost all season and I can't really see that changing."

Smith has spent the last month back on the Island while he recovers from a hernia operation and so has not experienced the Super Bowl fever currently sweeping his adopted home.

"There will be a real buzz over there right now as their team prepares for the Super Bowl," he said. "Everyone will be getting geared up for the game and they'll be a lot of excitement."

Earlier this week Sports Minister El James revealed he would be switching allegiances to Pierce's Giants, despite being a die-hard Pats fan. James' love affair with the Patriots began decades ago whilst studying in New England.