Beleaguered Bermuda Football Association president Neville Tyrrell has revealed how he felt let down by those around him during a tumultuous six months which will culminate with a challenge to his leadership at next Monday's BFA annual general meeting.

In an exclusive "clear the air'' interview with The Royal Gazette yesterday, Tyrrell suggested his former technical director Clyde Best had "broken gentlemen's agreements''.

And he was critical of others who worked within the association whom he said "went back on their word''.

Tyrrell also revealed how he was stunned by Best's declaration earlier this year that the two men had rarely spoken or met during Best's employment.

Up until an uncomfortable meeting last December 22, when Best was informed by the BFA president that his contract would not be renewed, Tyrrell said he would have rated their relationship on a scale of one to 10 as "about a seven and a half.'' Tyrrell will be challenged for the top post at Monday's AGM by assistant national coach Mark Trott, who claims to have the support of the majority of BFA affiliates.

However, the Colonial Insurance executive who succeeded Richard Thompson back in 1996 and who has previously refused to discuss internal BFA matters, said yesterday it was time to break his silence.

"There was a pact between myself and my executive that at no time would we air our dirty laundry in public, and I've stuck to that,'' he said.

"Why should I speak out now? My answer is this could be the beginning of the end. And I want to leave with people realising that Neville Tyrrell is a man of integrity. I've always been that way, always up front.

"However, there are some things which I couldn't speak out on, most of which I would call `dirty laundry'.

"I have tried to protect other people, and obviously people are using my silence, the silence of the executive committee, to their own benefit. If come Monday I am no longer president, I want to leave with my head held high.'' In an interview conducted in his Reid Street office, Tyrrell spoke at length of the two most contentious issues during the past six months -- the non-renewal of Best's contract and the failure of the BFA to secure the services of professionals Shaun Goater and Kyle Lightbourne for Bermuda's failed World Cup campaign (see separate story this page).

In both instances, he suggested he felt betrayed by those within the BFA who leaked information to the media. And he claimed his reputation had been impugned by actions of others.

Regarding his relationship with former West Ham star Best, Tyrrell admitted they had sometimes not "seen eye to eye'' but said it simply wasn't true that they had avoided each other.

"There were some issues we disagreed on but we were able to discuss them. Mr.

Best has been in this office on a number of occasions, we've spoken on the phone on numerous occasions and of course we've met regularly at the BFA offices.'' While refusing to be specific on the reasons for Best's departure, Tyrrell said it was "fair to say that the BFA were not entirely happy with his performance''.

"You pay a technical director enough money to do things and you expect them to be done. In a lot of instances, he (Best) failed.

"When he said he was going to do something, I expected it would be done, but that was not the case.

"Maybe as president I should have done some things differently. But if I had had a different person in the role of technical director, I might not have had to.'' Tyrrell said he was particularly upset that matters that were discussed in private, first in a meeting with Best in early January and later with Best and his technical staff after the 0-0 draw in Antigua, had found their way into the press.

At the meeting with Best "I apologised to him and he apologised to me for some things that had been said earlier and we both agreed this was the end of the matter. I'm assuming I've got a gentlemen's agreement and the matter is dealt with. I was wrong.'' After a heated discussion with coaches following the Antigua match, Tyrrell said there was again agreement that their differences would remain private.

"At it was,'' he recalled, "this was the second time that a gentlemen's agreement was not honoured.'' Tyrrell made it clear he didn't want to discuss Mark Trott, who as assistant coach was a close ally of the former technical director. But he said he respected Trott's right to run for the presidency.

"I am disappointed, truly disappointed, that people are basing their decisions on emotion rather than fact,'' he added.

"I won't be disappointed if I lose. But I would like another term because there's still work to be done.

"Our teams are still competitive in the region, these events of the past six months have not set us back. Our six-year plan is ongoing, we're still working with sponsors, the BFA is a very viable operation and we have some goals we want to achieve.

"I hope we can achieve them under my presidency over the next four years.'' Contacted in England last night, Clyde Best said he would consider responding to Tyrrell's comments once he had read the articles in full today.

Neville Tyrrell: `People are using my silence...for their own benefit.'