intention of moving away from Bermuda during the last two years of his contract.

Ziese, the Bermuda Football Association's controversial Technical Director of Coaching, created more than a few tremors of his own last year, usually because of his blunt assessment of the way he considered the business of soccer was sometimes being conducted in Bermuda.

But it wasn't until the final weeks of 1994 that Ziese seemed to emerge as a frustrated man on the job.

Then came the "very, very big earthquake'' that Ziese refers to or "the biggest success of the BFA history.'' The triumph of the Under-23's in Jamaica, however, was followed by the aftershocks of December 9 when seven players were arrested in Miami on drug charges.

"That was devastating,'' said Ziese. "It broke my heart, nearly. It would have not been that bad if we wouldn't have discussed it so many times...the issue of not carrying drugs, of smoking drugs.

"There are others on the team (who were not arrested). Those players at the present moment (have) not received what they should get, they should be really congratulated.'' In the face of mounting concern over where his loyalties lie, the German-born coach appeared more determined than ever to steer Bermuda toward next year's Olympic Games and begin laying the foundation for the country's next stab at World Cup qualifying.

He is also committed to rebuilding the Under-23 team, where events less than 24 hours after the dramatic 1-0 win over Jamaica conspired to shatter what Ziese considered the biggest success in local soccer history.

Jack Warner, however, may still have a final say in the matter, since the CONCACAF president could still prevent Bermuda from competing at the Pan American Games in March.

It also remains to be seen whether Ziese can win back the fragile trust he sometimes grudgingly earned with members of the local soccer fraternity.

But it's also clear that as events in the Under-23 drugs scandal unfolded last month, respect for the soccer official rose dramatically in many quarters.

In a wide-ranging, 45-minute telephone interview as the second year of his contract was about to kick in, Ziese talked about how "more than ever'' he had committed himself to finishing the job he began last year.

He also renewed his call for drug testing of soccer players and officials, but took it a step further by saying tests should be conducted twice a year.

From his home 20 miles east of Bonn, the former capital of Germany, Ziese also: revealed that the sensitive issue of drug testing was not only raised by Under-23 coach Mark Trott prior to the ill-fated tour to Jamaica, but was also discussed by him with BFA executive committee members.

insisted that any player found innocent in Miami should be given another chance to play for the national squad and should not face further punitive measures by the BFA.

remained hopeful that training matches against the United States would proceed as planned later this month despite uncertainty over the Under-23's immediate future.

explained how the last three months of 1994 were the most satisfying during his first year on the job.

"I'm not saying they were the happiest, definitely not,'' Ziese added. "I had good job satisfaction in the last three months, with ups and downs here and there.

"But in the last 12 months I was able to achieve more than a lot of people expected.

"Look at the coaching courses, in regards to the licensing of coaches. Also the way some players have improved and how they played an enormous role in the biggest success of the BFA history.'' On Saturday Ziese returns to the Island following a two-week holiday in Europe. "I will return, or is anyone thinking that I will not?'' he asked.

The sudden picture of a man content in his job is in sharp contrast to the one he painted before Bermuda embarked on their Pan-Am odyssey -- and agony.

As the drugs controversy gained momentum last month Ziese, in a letter to Warner on December 15, wrote: "You will understand that I will have great mental problems to continue with such an incompetent association.'' But Ziese, it seems, has had a stunning change of heart.

In fact, the 40-year soccer veteran has now set a number of goals for the new year. "1995 will be my year in the BFA and in Bermuda,'' he said triumphantly. "Because we are heading for a number of coaching courses. We will come closer to what my target is.

"We will hopefully have a good start in the Olympics, and we will play a very difficult opponent in Costa Rica. But if we can beat Jamaica in Jamaica why can't we get a good result against Costa Rica?'' Later he added: "I'm really looking forward (to 1995). I can only hope that everything goes fine in the next three months. I think that the next three months will be very decisive months for football in Bermuda.'' The next few weeks could be decisive ones for Ziese, too. He will undoubtedly be summoned to testify at the Commission of Inquiry, headed by former Premier Sir John Sharpe.

Like members of the inquiry, Ziese seems prepared to unleash his own assault against a drug scourge that torments local soccer.

"This is something I definitely detest, I won't stand for this issue,'' he said. "I'm so much against this one because I have a child and a grandchild.

"All those employed by the BFA need to be drug tested. All those who sit on the bench, all those who teach the youngsters and all the referees. Do you think we can have a clean game if everyone who is part of the game will not be drug tested? "I know some people on the BFA executive don't like that I sometimes raise recommendations. But I have a different opinion on this one.

"If we want to clean up football we need it to be drug free.'' Ziese first raised the drug issue in memos to BFA officials before Bermuda's first game against Canada, then in correspondence with Warner and in a voluminous hand-delivered report he wrote to Sports Minister Pam Gordon a day before leaving for Germany last month.

Ziese is worried the drug testing he is proposing will be too expensive, or the results will show the problem to be more rampant than anyone realises.

If too many test positive, Ziese said, "then I would prefer to stop playing football.'' When asked if that meant suspending play indefinitely he added: "No, there could be substitutions, right?'' Ziese said that the countless conversations he's had since Jamaica had encouraged him to fulfil his mandate within the BFA. "The number of phone calls which I have received after I came back from Jamaica really spoke for themselves. Players called me, the public called me and coaches called me.

These people would not have called me if they wouldn't have thought that Burkhard Ziese wasn't right in what he was doing.'' But there has also been ardent criticism of Ziese. Shadow Minister Dr. Ewart Brown, in a press conference last month, wondered who Ziese was working for.

"So people have differences of opinion and that is fine with me,'' said Ziese. "I personally believe that only through different opinions can you develop something...and not only in football.'' What continues to rankle him most is how he believes the media has chosen to dwell only on the negative aspects of the Under-23 story.

"Beating Canada, that was 5.5 on the Richter scale,'' said Ziese. "And we did this with what I previously called my `Mickey Mouse' team, because of their age group. But I stopped that after we eliminated Canada. And then we beat Jamaica, that was 7.0 on the Richter scale, a very, very big earthquake.'' But like everyone else in the BFA, Ziese must now deal with the aftershocks of December 9. He wants desperately to rebuild the Under-23 team, and remains hopeful that the players in Miami will be found innocent.