The Bermuda Football Association has drawn up a short-list of potential candidates for the crucial position of technical director with interviews to be staged next month.

It is understood only two Bermudians officially applied for the post with the rest of the 25 to 30 applicants coming from the Caribbean, South America and as far as Europe.

The short-list of six or seven contenders will be contacted over the coming week by the technical committee who are said to have been "very impressed" with the quality of CVs received since advertising for the job last month.

In order to meet the BFA's strict criteria, candidates had to possess an English FA Full Coaching Licence, UEFA "A" or a recognised equivalent and a minimum of five years' post-qualification experience coaching at a national or professional level.

Once the technical director has been appointed the BFA will work with the new incumbent to hire a youth director, youth coordinator and fund development manager.

"We spent all last week going through each and every application," said committee chairman Mark Trott. "The technical committee has been very impressed with the quality of the CVs. We had between 25 and 30 applicants and our short-list contains six or seven.

"Two Bermudians applied for the position with the rest of the candidates coming from overseas. We received applications from the Caribbean, South America and Europe.

"Once we have contacted those on our short-list we hope to start the interviewing process as soon as possible and would like it to be early next month. We need to check that those on the short-list are all still available and haven't been hired since they applied. The technical committee will be speaking with BFA president Larry Mussenden shortly regarding the matter."

Technical directors have been appointed by the BFA in the past, such as former West Ham ace Clyde Best, but it is believed the position will now be far more grass-roots and club-orientated than previously.

Earlier this year The Royal Gazette reported former Liverpool legend John Barnes had expressed an interest in the post, while last summer one of FIFA's top technical consultants, Alvin Corneal, arrived on the Island to make a thorough assessment of the current football infrastructure. The former Trinidadian international submitted his report to the BFA, which included recommendations regarding the appointment of the technical director.

Last February the Government announced its intention to pump an unprecedented $15 million into football, making the BFA the richest national sports governing body. Over the next six years the huge cash injection will be handed out, financing the BFA's plan to re-vamp the sport domestically.