future. A former Bermuda international, the North Village coach is using his contacts to take another youth team to the popular Dutch Cup tournament in Holland next week.

Last year the tournament attracted some 300 teams in various age groups from under 10 to under 19.

"In our age group alone there were 35 teams from 25 different countries, mostly European, with the only other country from this side of the world being the US,'' said Thompson.

His team will again compete in the under 13 division, with half of his 16 players coming from the North Village mini-minors and the other eight from Boulevard, St. George's, Devonshire Colts, Boulevard, St. David's, Dandy Town and Somerset.

Seven of the players -- Freddy Hall, Damon Swan, Kenny Tucker-Thompson (no relation), Keishan Bean, Fiqre Crockwell, Vashun Blanchette and Roydon Brangman -- were part of the team which reached the quarter-finals last year and Thompson is expecting them to lend their experience.

"I thought the players played quite well last year, taking into consideration they had never been in such an environment before,'' he said. "For those players who went last year it will be interesting to see how much they learned. One of their responsibilities is to keep the culture intact and pass on to the new players the overall conduct of the team in terms of what is expected of them.'' Thompson credits several corporate sponsors for making the trip possible, including major sponsors Bermuda Telephone Company whose name they will be wearing on their jerseys during the tournament, which begins next Wednesday and ends next weekend.

The team leaves for Holland tonight and on Monday and Tuesday will train with Dutch FA coaches.

Next Wednesday evening the youngsters will get the opportunity to see a match between an Ajax Select and an Amsterdam all-Star team.

Next Friday, Thompson will put on his boots to play for a coaches select team against an Ajax Select team from players of the 1960s and '70s.

It is the new generation that Thompson feels should have the opportunities, which is why he stresses the importance of having the proper attitude both on and off the field.

"Last year from the way our boys performed some people were coming up to us and asking us how we learned to play football like that,'' Thompson said.

"For such a small country, we have some very talented athletes but we have to put them in the right environment in order to get the best out of them. Right now we're just hoping the sport develops the right people, but we have to do things like this to guarantee that it happens.'' Thompson is a firm believer in the Dutch football philosophies, which he thinks Bermuda could do well to adopt.

"It is based on the Dutch vision for teaching football, called the TIC characteristics (technique, insight, communication) so at different stages of development the components that are taught become more or less important,'' he says. "If you don't gain it now it becomes much more difficult to gain it later on in your career. It's important to start in age groups like these.

"As we watch a very small country like Holland play the type of football that they play it is a direct result of their firm educational structure.'' The tournament will be held at the Amateur Complex in Amsterdam which has 20 to 30 full size pitches. Being only a 20 minute train ride from Ajax's ground, there is always the chance of a player being spotted by someone from Ajax, who are known for their youth policy.

"They cast a net quite wide because they are in competition worldwide for players, so they are always on the lookout,'' Thompson explained.

He recalled how a player who played against his team last year has now gone on to join the Ajax youth programme.

Two of the players in his squad have expressed strong desires to play professionally, too: Goalkeeper Hall, nephew of Devonshire Colts goalie Troy Hall, and Vashun Blanchette.

"They are prepared to leave the country to put themselves in a position to realise those ambitions, so even at 12, 13 these two boys are very ambitious,'' said Thompson.

North Village squad: Damon Swan, Dominic Butterfield, Chris Moulder, Cornell Castle, Taurean Manders, Kenny Tucker-Thompson, Keishan Bean, Vashun Blanchette (North Village), Freddy Hall (St. George's), Nathan Darrell (Boulevard), Jason Dill (Dev.Colts), Teykehayi Walker (Boulevard), Jahkiel Samuels (Boulevard), Fiqre Crockwell (St. David's), Sekai Tuzo (Dandy Town), Roydon Brangman (Somerset).