Bermuda's national cricket coach Roland Butcher must be axed.

That was the unanimous view being expressed by every fan that The Royal Gazette contacted during a man-in-the-street poll yesterday.

All pointed to the fact that the former England and Middlesex batsman seemed to lack commitment for the position after agreeing to a three-year contract last September.

While there have been rumours that the Bermuda Cricket Board of Control have already made a decision to sack Butcher, this could not be confirmed this week with BCBC president El James unwilling to comment on the Butcher affair.

But recently both James and national team skipper Charlie Marshall hinted Butcher's lack of presence -- his late arrival for the post when he was expected here from England in early January, coupled with his sudden and recent return to England -- was irritating the cricket fraternity.

"His going back to England is not what we wanted, we would prefer if he was here,'' said James at the time.

And Marshall seemed more confused about the departure of the coach to England just week's before the ICC Trophy competition.

"I don't know what is going on. It is a concern of course,'' said the skipper.

However the man in the street pulled no punches, everybody insisting that the most logical move would be for the Board to let Butcher go.

Whether Butcher has returned to the Island or remains in England was yesterday unclear.

All questioned his lack of commitment after leaving to return to England just before the ICC touring squad was to be selected, most claiming that he should have sorted out his business affairs before coming to take up the post and most suggesting that the Board should employ another international coach immediately.

Here's what they had to say: Charles (Buster) Trott (fan): "Let's get rid of him now, there are plenty other coaches out there. I am not saying that we must have one from the West Indies, England or Australia, all I am saying is that we are in need of a good coach and we need one fast. How long is it going to make the Bermuda Cricket Board of Control realise that Mr. Butcher doesn't want the job.'' Michael Pemberton (fan): "I strongly feel that he must go. If Mr. Butcher really wanted the job he would have sorted out all of his business situations long ago, long before accepting the original contract. What is happening now is not good enough for our crickters and our overall programme.'' Warrington (Soup) Zuill (cricket historian): "Mr. Butcher has made very little contribution to the preparation of the senior national squad which has been going on very well without him. The honest truth is that I think he should return to England, for somebody who has a three-year contract he has been away too long. He is either not interested in the post or the problems he has in England are more important than his contract. We need a qualified international coach, I have no preference which country he is from.'' Dianne Zuill (fan): "I say he must go. I want Geoffrey Boycott brought in to play a temporary role as the team prepares for the tournament in Canada, then we could work towards employing somebody else for the longer haul. It's become clear to everybody that Mr. Butcher doesn't want the job.'' Continued on page 27 Coach Butcher urged to quit Continued from page 25 Jermaine DeSilva (fan): "Fire him now, his interests aren't here. It's crazy that we hired him in the first place, one has to question how much research went into his hiring. Mr. Butcher first comes in the Island and then he arrives with lots of surprises, it's not good for a ICC Trophy team that needs a leader.'' Deeann Martin (fan): "Mr. Butcher is just wasting Bermuda's time. I want him to go because it doesn't look like he is serious about the job. First impressions tell you a lot about a person and I don't like what I see in him, he's not the man for the job.'' Keith Lapsley (fan): "If Mr. Butcher is coming and going like he is he should not be kept on as coach -- certainly not at a crucial point like this with the national team preparing for the ICC Trophy. I want to know if he is getting paid now and who is doing his job and is that person getting paid properly. If Mr. Butcher is not putting in the time, then he is not worth being paid any amount.'' Vance Brown (fan): "Mr. Butcher must go because he has shown Bermuda that he is not committed to the job. We need a good coach, I'm not saying we should bring in a somebody from the West Indies, England or Australia, we just need a good coach real quick.'' Raymond Dowling (fan): As an ex-cricketer I feel that we need somebody here who is totally committed to do the job that the Bermuda Cricket Board of Control has put into place. For Mr. Butcher to come here late, return to England for two weeks is simply not good enough.'' Danika Gibbons (fan and scorer): "Mr. Butcher should go, he shouldn't be allowed to go back and forward to England like he is, not when Bermuda cricket really needs him. We need somebody to get the team to the next level, and we also need Lionel Cann and Glenn Blakeney in the team.'' Roland Butcher: No support in poll.