UNDERSTANDABLY Bermuda Football Association coaching committee chairman Jon Beard and other members of the governing body's executive were non too pleased with last week's column.

Some within the Association feel that "BFA bashing'' is considered a more popular sport in these offices than the game itself. There are apparently even those who believe in a `media conspiracy' to undermine the BFA's authority and drive away would-be sponsors.

For what reason, we have no idea. Of course, any such suggestion is pure fiction.

As with most followers of the game, we want to see football in this Island progress and prosper. But, as we've said before, it's not our role to promote it, rather on behalf of our readers ensure that those charged with running the sport are doing so responsibly.

The media as a whole take an awful lot of criticism, some of it justified, some not, but we must continue to ask questions, to probe and not accept everything we're told or read at face value.

Beard claimed in a letter published earlier this week that I had ignored all the information he had provided lately regarding the vacant coaching positions, the national squad and the BFA's wide-ranging plans for the future.

From his standpoint, it might have looked that way. But no, I hadn't ignored his efforts, more likely interpreted them differently to the way the Association would have liked.

While understanding of the difficulties facing the coaching committee, the fact remains that the footballing public and sponsors have become disillusioned with the way soccer is run in this country. And the administrators shouldn't shoulder all of the blame. Players, particularly those who have put drugs before the game, have much to answer for.

But plans have come and gone in the past without reaching fruition, thus the frustration felt by players, coaches and fans.

As Beard emphasised in his letter, players need to be constantly challenged and given incentives, and while under the BFA's latest plan that is the intention it is still not happening.

Regardless of whether the Copa Carib is scheduled in March or May this year, Bermuda is at this point without a national coach or national squad and has been since last April.

And while it is appreciated that a plan of action for the future has been formulated, the point of last Friday's Forum was to emphasise the lack of continuity in our soccer programme.

With the senior national squad dormant for so long, any newly-appointed coach will still face a race against time to get a team properly prepared for international competition.

Beard talked of "sustained and planned development for the national team,'' which, of course, is what everyone wants. But if memory serves us right, Bermuda was also promised the same "sustained development'' under the much-vaunted Six Year Plan unveiled by this same BFA administration less than four years ago. What happened to that? As Beard rightly explained, the Caribbean Football Union make preparation for any regional tournament difficult by continually changing dates and venues.

But it's the belief of many, including some of our top coaches, that a national senior programme should be maintained year round and not only when tournaments appear on the horizon.

Can we be assured in future that under the new plan that will happen? If we can, it's likely the BFA will enjoy much stronger support from the entire community, including the financial support so desperately needed.

Beard's suggestion that it was articles such as this that drive away sponsors is difficult to comprehend.

Bermuda football has suffered through turbulent times and if one listens to many of our former players they'll tell you the standard of the game has declined, violence has increased and the drugs factor driven away many spectators. Those are the real reasons for soccer's demise.

The fact that referees had to stage a boycott earlier this season in order that some very simple demands be met, involving procedures that should have been in effect anyway, said much about the state of the game.

The BFA, as Beard was at pains to point out, are now trying to be pro-active as well as reactive. They have a number of ideas which they believe will raise the standard at all levels.

We hope they succeed.

But until they do, football will continue to be looked upon by many with suspicion and scepticism.

*** QUIQE WOLFE and his South American team may well be accomplished sportscasters, but until they start speaking English they're not going to win over many local viewers.

Despite new management, Cablevision continue to give us a 24-hour sports channel which very few of us can understand.

Perhaps if subscribers paid their next monthly bill in pesos the message would get through! ADRIAN ROBSON