Vestavia Hills Soccer Club academy director and son of the soil Richard Todd takes his football very seriously.

From the moment the 35-year-old former United States Independent Soccer League (USISL) pro begins talking about football, it soon becomes evident that — not only is the Bermudian armed with a wealth of expertise — but he's also genuinely passionate about a game that in theory promotes camaraderie and character.

However, switch the conversation to the current state of local football and almost spontaneously Todd's unyielding passion is replaced by deep concern.

"You don't have to go far to get into a conversation over the general state of football in Bermuda and the general consensus is that we are in a decline," the former North Village and Bermuda midfielder, who has applied for the BFA technical director's job, said. "I have taken the opportunity to have a look at youth training sessions as well as Premier and Women's Division games and I would say that the consensus is correct in that we have fallen off quite a bit in our level of play."

He added: "I don't see any progress in the basics of things. If you look at the infrastructure in clubs, facility-wise, we haven't done anything to upgrade. Some clubs are still struggling to deal with lights or having proper equipment available, and these to me are simple basic elements that we have done nothing to improve in those areas.

"The same resources I had here 10 years ago are the same resources coaches have in their hands today and you have to improve your infrastructure if you are looking at long-term progress and development."

In the past decade Todd, who holds United States Soccer Federation (USSF) and Brazilian coaching badges, among others, has compiled a proven track record in the US, managing athletic programmes and coaching at the grassroots level where he believes more emphasis should be targeted domestically as opposed to the senior or top end of the spectrum with a product that is both technically and fundamentally flawed.

"It's a big task ahead of us to get our football back on track to where it used to be and I think where the focus has to happen is at the grassroots level in youth development at the clubs," he continued. "You can't have a good international team unless you have a strong domestic league and you can't have a strong domestic league unless you are doing the right things at the grassroots level to bring the kids through.

"It's not a short -term fix, which is why I say focus and interests should be more with the youth. At the senior level you are going to inherit a group of players who, in my opinion, have not come through proper development and so it becomes a little bit too late and a lot of work to change some of the habits they have developed.

"Realistically, we need to be looking at the Under-11, -12 and -13 youth levels and organising a 10-year plan and increasing the standard of coaching that we are providing our kids here on the Island. And if we do the right thing by identifying these kids and giving them the right opportunity and exposure then maybe in 10 years we can set a more realistic goal for qualifying at the Olympic level because I think at the moment it's very unrealistic for us to say that we are looking to qualify for the World Cup.

"It's just not a goal (World Cup qualification) that I think is attainable at the moment and that is not to say that we don't have good players. We just don't have the discipline or the organisation in place to allow us to do those things — and it is a bit shocking to see the state of the game at the senior level."

What local football also lacks, Todd noted, is genuine leadership and a vision or plan that puts all of the sport's stake holders on the same page.

"I think there are a lot of individuals who are interested in giving something back to the game but we need leadership as well as organisation and a structure that sets us about in motion towards our objectives," he argued.

"We have the individuals but what I don't see is a plan that brings everybody together. At the moment everybody is doing something independent and to me that doesn't lend itself towards systematically ensuring that we are continually developing players.

"I think we need to be tied into a plan so that we all know how all of the pieces fit together to help build and accomplish the goal of what we are trying to achieve, which is to uplift soccer in this country. I think all of us have a role to offer but it's now up to Bermuda Football Association (BFA) to find a way to put us all together and figure out how we can each play a role in what we are trying to accomplish.

"We have a lot of players (former semi or full professionals) here with experience so the list of personnel is there. But now we need to find a way to pull us all together that may involve bringing in a non-Bermudian as technical director to help give us direction and formulate a plan. But it has to be tied in altogether because we are not going to achieve anything working independently in bits and pieces.

"That's the challenge I now see and we need leadership and a plan to get everybody together on the same page because there is talent on the Island that, if given the right direction and guidance, can be developed correctly."

Earlier this year BFA president Larry Mussenden encouraged with the Island's football fraternity to play their role to help raise local standards after the association unveiled its multi-million dollar strategic plan to revamp the sport domestically over a five-year period.

"The strategic plan must not exist only on paper," he said. "Every individual and organisation has a role to play to make the plan come alive and become the blueprint for the successful development of football in Bermuda over the next many years.

"As a national sport with enormous popularity, involving the participation of thousands of people of all races, young and old, male and female, Bermudian and non-Bermudian, league and recreational players, football must develop a strategic plan that will meet the needs of current and future generations."