A $1.3 million action-plan has been drawn up by Bermuda Football Association to boost the standing of the sport on the Island.

The 2000-01 plan represents a wide-ranging overhaul of soccer but the implementation of each different strand is entirely dependent on funds.

And BFA chiefs have made clear they do not have anywhere near the amount needed to put them all into place.

The results of the brain-storming session range all the way from the appointment of a national coach to clothing and equipment for under-14s.

The wishlist, sent to all the Island clubs last year but not made public until yesterday, includes: Appointment of a technical director at $100,000.

Appointment of a director of youth development, in addition or instead of technical director at $17,000.

Appointment of a senior national coach (part-time) at $15,000 in addition or instead of technical director.

Funding for Under-19/20 and Under-16/17 players at a combined cost of $220,400.

Cash aid for United States Soccer Federation coaching courses.

Commissioning of a soccer consultant at a cost of $3,480.

Granting of aid to clubs to employ qualified director of youth development at a total cost of $100,000.

Jon Beard, chairman of the BFA's coaching committee, said: "What I must emphasise is that this is a plan. It's not `this is what we are definitely going to do', this is what we are aiming to do.'' Beard said a huge emphasis was being placed upon the training of youngsters.

"Our big concern is the development of youth players and what we would like to be able to do is to provide a grant to clubs so that they have a director of youth coaching and then an additional grant for every youth team they have,'' he said.

"Our concern is that you have some of the better coaches working with the youth players and that whoever is working with the youth players is, a) well qualified and; b) good people that are `go to' people that the community trusts.'' At Premier League level, Beard said the BFA had spoken about the possibility of players earning cash.

"This is just an idea, but we talked about whether players should be paid or not,'' he said. "It's whether we can go with what they have in Britain and other places, contract and non-contract. That is just within our gameplan for the moment.'' Beard said discussions had also been held regarding exposing the top Island players to a better level of competition.

"The possibility of putting a team in the A League, the D3 League or possibly eventually the MLS (in the USA) has also been discussed,'' he said. "One of the big problems we have got is from a national team point of view -- trying to get them games is difficult.

"Years ago we had (Aston) Villa in, we had Manchester United in, they were happy to come. But the Premier League has changed beyond all recognition and whenever we talk to these teams they are looking for a massive appearance fee, plus transportation, plus accomodation. It's just very difficult.

"The level of football on the eastern seaboard is improving. I don't know whether we would be able to play in those leagues because they are American leagues, but there's no reason why we shouldn't be looking to play the teams that play at that level.'' Beard said the intention would be to stage games with some regularity.

"Ideally what we would like is to play them on a monthly level,'' he said.

"What happens with us is we try to get our national team out there training for a particular thing, they play in it but then there isn't anything else for them to aim for for a number of months.

"It's difficult to keep the players in training. If you take England as an example the national team isn't training all through the year, they get together just before a game, but they are playing at such a high level that's not a problem.

"Our problem here is take players from playing at domestic level to try to get them up to a high level. The only way we can do that is to give them the regular matches.'' Beard said the Bermudian side had to be the primary focus.

"The national team must be the pinnacle of what you are aiming for,'' he said. "Kenny Thompson is doing a fabulous job with our Under-17s and hopefully a number of those will be our national team players.

"But that is not going happen tomorrow and it's not going to happen in the next couple of years. They should be able to say `I want to be like this player, I want to be able play in these games', so they and those playing in the domestic game have something to aim for.

"But that means our national programme has got to be better than anything else on the Island.'' Looking forward: Jon Beard, chairman of the BFA's coaching committee, has helped put together a wide-ranging action plan aimed at improving soccer on the Island.