without former Bermuda national team coach Gary Darrell.

Darrell, who this year became the most successful senior national coach when he led Bermuda on an extended run in the World Cup campaign, was unable to be persuaded by three First Division teams to join their ranks after resigning as national team coach last November.

Yesterday, he confirmed that he will have no ties with any particular club when the season starts, suggesting that he will only be an "idle spectator'' when the season kicks off next week.

The teams he admitted to having had talks with are his former club Dandy Town, who he last coached in 1988 before signing on as national coach, newly-promoted Vasco and Hotels who have since withdrawn from the league.

"At this point and time I will not be involved with any team. I have had talks with the three clubs but decided that I just do not have the time to commit to a head coaching job,'' said Darrell.

"There was the time when I was considering to help out somewhere, but after giving it some thought I have decided that my carpet business, which was disrupted during the World Cup run, needed my full attention right now.'' However, because of his love for the game and long-term ties with the sport, Darrell has some interest in attending the FIFA/Coca-Cola Futuro coaching course at Stonington Hotel from October 11-16, claiming that he is always willing to learn more and this is something that all coaches should take advantage of.

Despite his great love for the sport and coaching, Darrell said that he is "enjoying the break'' from soccer and suggested that perhaps it is something that his body needed.

"Perhaps I am reallying enjoying it more than ever because I had become a little tired after being involved in soccer for so many consecutive years. I would guess it has been about 30 years that I have been involved in one capacity or another,'' he said. "After doing one thing for that long I guess you can say that a break is deserved.'' He admitted though that while the World Cup run was a "great experience'' it was also exhausting, but he had no regrets now as he looked at the campaign in retrospect.

Bermuda, he firmly believes, have gained a lot of credibility with teams in CONCACAF and all over the Caribbean because of their run in the World Cup and he believes that this coupled with the experience gained by the team are among the positives that came out of the country entering the premier competition of the world's number one sport.

Among the downfalls that Darrell claims that came about during or right after the campaign were the criticisms by Rotherham professional striker Shawn Goater and the sacking of former BFA administrative assistant Joe L. Brown.

"Mostly though the World Cup was very enjoyable and I know that the whole country was pleased to see us accomplish far more than anyone could have imagined when we started out,'' said Darrell.

"One thing I know is that the whole episode has definitely made me a better coach.'' Having given up after the rigorous campaign, Darrell still wonders what offer it would take to persuade him back on the sidelines at a club level.

"One thing I must admit about the job as national coach was that I may have been spoiled because there were no problems when it came to the facilities for training at National Stadium and the provision of gear. It would be hard to go into any programme that offers too much less,'' he said.