It was the strangest of comments.

On the heels of one of Bermuda's most disappointing performances on the world stage, the man at the helm of local football had neither an apology, an answer nor an explanation.

Asked why Bermuda's two key overseas professionals Shaun Goater and Kyle Lightbourne -- whose presence would almost certainly have thrown Bermuda a World Cup lifeline -- had not been recalled for either of the two games against Antigua, BFA president Neville Tyrrell was quoted as follows: "I think I know the whole story, but I just don't want to muddy the waters in any way. I think we just have to accept that Kyle and Shaun did not come back.

We just have to leave it at that.'' , Accept it. Leave it at that.

I don't think so.

The Bermuda public, the sponsors and the players themselves are all owed an explanation.

Before Sunday's fateful match, Tyrrell was eager to urge local fans to come out and support the national team. They did just. There were probably between two and three thousand spectators at the National Stadium on Sunday. And what they saw was hardly reflective of the best in Bermuda soccer.

It's been said that certain local club players had no desire to be a part of the national squad set-up, and of course no one can be forced to represent their country. Others were missing for fear that they could not pass the required drug test.

But as regards Goater, Lightbourne and US-based David Bascome, there seems to have been a trail of confusion and mis-communication.

And somebody must stand accountable.

What has made the campaign all the more frustrating has been the BFA's wall of silence -- neither a press statement nor press conference to discuss or shed light on a chain of bewildering events.

Goater made it clear from the outset that he would prefer to remain with promotion-chasing Manchester City. Yet there have been literally dozens of European professionals in the same predicament over the past couple of months and the vast majority have put country before club, as dictated by FIFA rules.

Had Bermuda been successful on Sunday they would have gone on to meet St.

Vincent in the next qualifying round. That Caribbean island made absolutely sure they secured the services of professional Rodney Jack, whose club Crewe -- playing in the same division as Man City -- have been battling against relegation. Indeed, Jack netted the all-important goal which put St. Vincent on the road to a 3-1 win over St. Kitt's last weekend.

Another glaring example of players putting country before club came this week from Spanish giants Barcelona who were forced to forfeit their Spanish Cup semi-final against Atletico Madrid because so many of their stars were on international duty.

As for Lightbourne, he indicated to this newspaper last week he was more than willing to play on Sunday. So why wasn't he recalled? And while Bascome was recovering from an injury, he too had confirmed his availability and might have been able to play a small but important part in ensuring a Bermuda victory.

Ultimately, it's been pointed out, that the BFA executive played no part in team selection -- that technical advisor Clyde Best, predictably relieved of his duties in the wake of Sunday's loss, and national coach Robert Calderon, who has since stood down, were solely responsible for those decisions.

But both Best and Calderon have indicated, in no uncertain terms, that they desperately wanted the services of our overseas pros.

So who's telling the truth? What went wrong? Wasn't the matter discussed at executive level with the coaches present, as Tyrrell said last week it would be. And if so, what was the consensus? Surely the Bermuda public have a right to know.

Somebody has to be accountable for this World Cup debacle, yet no one's holding up their hand.

Strangely, by some, the issue has been played down. It's been said more than once, `Bermuda were never going to win the World Cup, so what's the big deal'.

Yet that's a ludicrous argument.

If the same were applied to every major sporting occasion, then 90 percent of competitors would never enter in the first place.

If sport were just about winning, then Bermudian tennis players Donald Evans and James Collieson, with never a hope of advancing into the main draw, wouldn't have bothered competing in this week's XL Open; hundreds of local runners who will line up for the May 24 Marathon Derby next month fully aware that likely winner Kavin Smith will be finished, showered and dressed before they reach Crow Lane roundabout, would never enter; and the thousands of athletes who will converge on Sydney later this year with not so much as a sniff of an Olympic medal, would instead stay at home.

Sure enough, Bermuda weren't heading for the World Cup finals, but had they been knocked out by a better team, most fans would have accepted that fate.

But they weren't. Bermuda's defeat, taking into account all that transpired leading up to and during the qualifying rounds, was self-inflicted.

And at the end of the day, the buck stops with the BFA president.

Clyde Best will no doubt admit he made some mistakes. But he's paid the price and now finds himself searching for a new job, at an age when most successful former pros are contemplating a comfortable retirement.

Robert Calderon has also decided to throw in the towel. But that pair shouldn't have to shoulder all of the blame.

As goalkeeper Dwayne (Streaker) Adams pointed out earlier this week, the World Cup campaign was fraught with administrative problems.

Tyrrell, despite commendably steadying the BFA ship in the wake of the Miami Seven affair, seems to have lost control of the tiller.

Wouldn't it now be better for soccer as a whole if he too stepped down and allowed the sport a fresh start? -- ADRIAN ROBSON