Larry Mussenden is banking on his proven track record in generating funds to give him the edge over Mark Wade in the Bermuda Football Association (BFA) presidential race.

Mussenden is credited for securing a $15 million funding commitment from Government as well as the $1.2 million from FIFA to build the BFA's first ever training base at Gym Field during his stint as president.

And at a time when the BFA's annual $3 million grant has been slashed to just $1 million, Mussenden believes his connections and organisational skills make him the right man for the job in the current financial climate.

"When I first became president we had an annual Government grant of $80,000. We had to lay out our vision, draw up our strategic plan and gain the confidence of the Government. We had to show them how important football was to the community so they would fund it to the tune of $15 million," said the lawyer.

"We have a proven track record at securing funds whether they be from Government, corporate sponsors or other revenue streams.

"I think we're the right team at this time to continue the work we were doing during our last few years in office."

While his detractors say he is not a 'football man' like Wade, Mussenden points to his role as chairman of FIFA's appeals committee as evidence of his global experience in the game.

"I've heard people say I'm not a football man but people have to recognise I was the president for seven years," he said.

"I've made a contribution to football in Bermuda and internationally on Caribbean Football Union (CFU) committees, Concacaf committees and FIFA committees.

"I've been exposed to a lot of football issues around the world that other people in Bermuda probably haven't. They may be talking about on the field stuff but perhaps I have a more global view as a result of my experiences.

"I think the way I moved football from 2001 to 2008 show that I am a football man.

"Football was certainly in a better position when I left than when I first took over."

Both candidates have spent the past few weeks canvassing clubs in a bid to gain support ahead of tomorrow night's Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Young Men's Social Club, where Richard Calderon will step down as president midway through his four-year term.

With a campaign slogan 'Committed To Success', Mussenden and his running mates Cal Blakendal and Andrew Griffith released their platform to The Royal Gazette yesterday.

Blakendal, the Dandy Town youth director, will run for vice-president while Griffith is a candidate for treasurer.

The four-page document, which has been presented to the clubs, reads: "We are committed to building on all the success of the present administration as well as when we were last in office.

"When we were in office, we led the way in securing funding from the Government and from the corporate sector."

Describing themselves as the 'Trio Ticket', Mussenden's team have vowed to review the positions of BFA's current technical staff to ensure they have 'the right people doing the right things'.

Technical director Derek Broadley has already been told he will not have his contract renewed by Calderon whose regime are hoping to tie up the services of a part-time technical consultant, believed to be top FIFA adviser Jacques Crevosier, for a two-year period.

It appears, though, that Mussenden would prefer the BFA to have a full-time technical director and youth director on board rather than an advisor, like Crevosier, who would only visit the Island three or four times a year.

"When last in office, we worked hard to get funding to hire a technical development team – that is a technical director and a youth director ... We will ensure that we have a technical director and youth director," the document continues.

The grassroots level is also high on the agenda for the 'Trio Ticket' who have promised to provide the clubs with educational scholarships, PA systems and coaching equipment and security equipment.

Since being ousted by Calderon two years ago, Mussenden has maintained strong connections in football. He served in an official capacity as chairman of FIFA's appeals committee at the World Cup in South Africa this summer. A secret ballot will be held at tomorrow's AGM with representatives from each of the Premier and First Division clubs, the Referees' Association and the Bermuda School Federation each getting a vote.