Senior national team coach Robert Calderon has accused "self-appointed experts of football'' in Bermuda of using persistent and unfair criticism to press for the axeing of technical director Clyde Best.

While it was the Bermuda Football Association who decided not to renew Best's three-year contract which expires next March, Calderon said "outside influences'', whom he declined to name, had played their part.

Calderon now faces going into a World Cup campaign starting with a first-round qualifier against the British Virgin Islands next Spring without the man who has guided preparations thus far.

"I'm concerned that within the coaching fraternity, there are those who have been more self-serving with their commentary (on the national programme) than helpful,'' said Calderon. "From day one, they found every way to be non-supportive rather than supportive. When results have gone well, they have still found ways to ridicule what has been a pretty successful programme over the last year.

"The people I'm talking about are people who have appointed themselves experts of football in Bermuda after a few trips abroad.'' After hearing the news last Thursday that he was to be dropped, Best launched a scathing attack on BFA president Neville Tyrrell, accusing him of arrogance and of not being a football person.

But Calderon said whatever he had to discuss with the BFA on the matter, he would prefer to do so behind closed doors, rather than through the media.

"I am a supporter of Clyde, but I don't want to come across as being non-supportive of the association,'' said Calderon. "I think this has more to do with outside influences.'' Calderon said Best, the most successful soccer player ever produced by the Island, had connections in the game which any successor would find difficult to emulate.

For example earlier this month, Best secured a friendly for next April against his former club, West Ham United of the English Premier League, together with use of their extensive training facilities and training sessions for the Island team with the club's coaches.

"I would say Clyde Best has been extremely supportive of me and easy to work with,'' said Calderon. "He has treated me with respect and allowed me to be in charge of the team.

"His ability to walk in esteemed circles in the football world could not be duplicated -- certainly not by any other Bermudian.

"He can get on the phone and speak to prominent people in international football. And that speaks volumes for the man's reputation outside Bermuda.'' The Royal Gazette has left several messages inviting Tyrrell to comment on the termination of Best's contract, but he is yet to respond.

A senior Bermuda Football Association official is understood to have resigned over the termination of Clyde Best's contract.

Sources close to the BFA indicate that first vice-president Aldwyn Savery quit his post in protest over the decision.

When contacted by The Royal Gazette , Savery said: "I don't wish to say anything about that at the moment.'' And he refused to confirm or deny that he had actually resigned.