Andrew Bascome believes his Devonshire Cougars are in “good hands” with his successor Kwame Steede now at the helm as head coach.

Steede was appointed as Bascome’s successor during the off-season after the Bermuda head coach decided against serving beyond a one-year deal at Devonshire Recreation Club.

“I have a lot of respect for ‘Telford’ [Steede] and recommended him because he is very knowledgeable and passionate about the game,” Bascome said. “I can tell you that Kwame is the future at Cougars who are in good hands with him.”

Steede, a former Bermuda captain who was a regular at the heart of the Cougars’ three-man defence last season, is expected to make a seamless transition into the role he performed for 18 months during 2008 and 2009, and again in 2011.

“I have been with a lot of coaches and I can tell you that this boy is very knowledgeable when it comes to football and he has a winning instinct,” Bascome said. “If that influence can rub off on his team, then I can tell you that Cougars will be very tough to beat.”

The switch at Devonshire Rec is one of several changes that have happened at Premier Division clubs this off-season.

Somerset Trojans have also made a coaching change with the Kieshon Smith, who has parted company with Hamilton Parish, taking the reins in the west.

There has also been a change at the top at Southampton Rangers, with Keith Jennings returning to Southampton Oval after serving a three-year ban after threatening behaviour towards a referee.

Jennings replaces Maurice Lowe, who has become the National Academy technical development director, replacing Richard Todd who is now in charge at North Village Rams.

Bascome, who guided Cougars to a maiden Premier Championship and Friendship Trophy exactly a decade ago, decided against staying on with the club to devote more time to his family and his role as the Bermuda head coach.

“I am getting up in age and now it’s time for my family. I have been so preoccupied with players, tactics, formations and training sessions and my family has grown right in front of me,” Bascome, who led Bermuda in the World Cup qualifying campaign, said.

“I took time just the other day and looked at all my kids and said to myself ‘I have some beautiful kids’, that’s how much they have grown up right in front of me while I was coaching every day.

“I just want to coach at the national level now because I really enjoy it and it’s challenging. Coaching at that level gives me the opportunity to work with the best players on the Island and I can get around to games and sessions to gauge players and make myself more visible.”