Devonshire Cougars' teenage striker Tumani Steede has vowed to make a name for himself in the US after signing for Professional Development League (PDL) team Reading Rage.

Steede, 18, insists he has "no nerves" about swapping Bermuda for Pennsylvania and accepts he must leave the Island in order to further his fledging football career.

Fellow Bermuda international Tyrell Burgess set the mould for overseas players who join Rage after securing a move to USL-D1's Vancouver Whitecaps on the back of his eye-catching displays last season.

And Steede insists he is confident of mirroring Burgess' huge success.

"It's going to be a change for me and I know I must leave the Island to improve myself," said Steede, who is the second local player to move to the PDL after Keishen Bean joined Ottawa Fury last month.

"I'm looking forward to it and I have no nerves about it. It's a good chance for me and hopefully I can do as well as Tyrell did."

Son of former Cougars ace Cyril (Dago) Steede, the self-assured youngster was recommended to Rage by Bermuda technical director Derek Broadley, who formerly coached the PDL side.

His successor, Brendan Burke, said Rage had fallen under the radar of numerous MLS and top USL clubs since reaching the 'final four' last campaign and was delighted his team would be blessed with a sprinkling of Bermudian flavour again this summer.

"This is a great opportunity for Tumani and we're looking forward to having him onboard," said Burke, whose team captured the 2008 Mid Atlantic Division regular title and won the Eastern Conference play-offs.

"I've heard a lot of good things about him for Derek and I gather he scored a great goal for his team at the weekend.

"Rage have really come under the microscope with MLS and USL-D1 and D2 clubs looking at our talent. Our profile will be raised even further when an MLS team is established in Philadelphia in 2010."

Burke admits it could take Steede time to adjust to moving to a new team in a foreign country and revealed he would be lodging at Rage's team house.

"Obviously it will be a big move for Tumani as he'll be coming into a different environment and living in a team house with other players. Tyrell was a bit older and more used to that kind of thing and was a model professional. Some of guys can get distracted on other things but the ones who stay focused end up enjoying the most success. Tyrell stayed committed to his football and now his reaping the rewards."

Steede is one of the most talented of Bermuda's next generation of players and received a surprise call-up to Bermuda's Digicel Cup squad last summer after impressing Broadley while playing for the national Under-20 team.