Outgoing Bermuda Football Association executive John Beard believes Bermuda must decide what role it wants to play in world football if the Island is to enjoy any success in the future.

And Beard, who stepped down from his post with the BFA last week after 30 years in the game, believes that the governing body need more professionals to run the sport on the Island if it is to develop further.

In a wide-ranging two-part interview, Beard also indicates his belief that the Association has largely been forced to stand still for 30 years through a lack of resources, and questions whether Bermuda will be able to develop if they are unable to come to terms with the limitations of the players, and the influence of modern society on the game.

However, Beard believes the future of Bermuda football can be a bright one, and is confident that the current administration, led by president Richard Calderon is at least moving in the right direction.

"There have definitely been changes within the BFA, and one of the things for me now, you have got many more professionals in there," said Beard. "It just used to be David (Sabir), and Candy (Ford), at one time, and a bookkeeper. It's developed over time and what used to be a very hands-on situation, isn't, and that's a good thing because at least you have professionals like Derek (Broadley, the technical director), and others, that's a great thing.

"But for me, this was the right time to step down, there are people out there who need to step up. It's whether we can attract the sort of people into football that you need, the real man-managers. People who are working in business, are they the people who are going to manage football? I'm not sure that's what's happening at the moment.

"I'm looking at people, particularly Bermudians, who have played football and are now in management positions. Are they in a position to give back to the clubs they came up through? Now some are, and there are some really dedicated guys, but if they're not, you end with people really without the management skills doing their upmost to try to run something. And they do a wonderful job, but there are people with management skills who could step in, and help, and I think it would make a difference.

"Football is developing, and it's a hell of a lot different now than it was 30 years ago, throughout the world. And the problem is, have we kind of spun our wheels here? I don't think we have had the resources, and that's not a criticism of anybody, we just haven't had the resources to move on, we're a small Island.

"There is a shortage of manpower and resources. Do you put your money into the hospital, or do you put it into football? And it's only in recent times that we've started putting money into sport. And there's a hell of a lot of criticism about that."

For Beard, while the administration eventually needs to become more professional, Bermuda must first decide what its aims are internationally, which competitions to enter, and what constitutes success once a team takes part.

The former BAA president believes that the Island's focus should lie somewhere between that of the Bahamas, which focuses on getting its young players into American universities, or that of the Faroe Islands who regularly compete in the European Championships.

"I think that we've got to be realistic," said Beard. "I mean, how far can we go, what do we really want out of it. Do we just want a college education for the kids?

"I know in the Bahamas, that's it, that seems to be there aim, can we get kids into college. Brilliant, I have no problem with that. Do we want to win the World Cup? Of course we do, are we going to? No. So where do we want to go?

>"I look at the Faroe Islands and I think phenonemal. They have the same population as us, 20 astro turf fields, and they play in the European Championships. They don't do brilliantly, but they pick up the occasional good result, but they have a whole different ethos about what they want out of football.

"I think our situation, we need to decide what do we want to get success in. I know with Larry (Mussenden, ex-BFA president) that (the Faroe Island model) was where we were trying to go, and with Richard (Calderon) that's where he is eventually trying to get to. But I think sometimes we expect too much from what we have got."

It is the targetting of realistic goals that Beard believes will eventually benefit football on the Island, and expecting to qualify for the World Cup will only lead to disappointment.

"We have got to determine what we think is success," he said. "And determine what competitions we want to see success in, and again determine what we think success is.

"We always wanted to be the best side in the Caribbean. Well we've had some great games against Trinidad, and we've beaten Trinidad, and they are regarded as the best in the area, and I'd like to see that continue.

"From a personal note I would like to have seen the BFA involved in the Island Games, only because you are playing everybody of a similar population. You dominate that, and then I'm convinced that we'd have everything right for the size of the Island, then you can start to step forward. But that's me, and I know others may feel differently.

"I think we need to go into the World Cup, it's exciting, but how far are you going to go. For me I think it would be how far can we go in the Caribbean qualifiers, if we can get into the later stages of that, I think we'll have done a fantastic job.

"I think we need to aim somewhere in between the the Bahamas and the Faroe Islands. People say 'look at mini countries like Luxembourg', but their population is half a million, not exactly a mini country compared to us. But with the Island Games, the maximum population is 125,000, you are in the ballpark for a challenge. So for me it is somewhere between that group."