At a time when the consensus is that the standard of Island soccer is in decline, visiting coach Keith Tucker is encouraged by what he saw on the weekend.

Tucker, the Bermuda-born head coach at Howard University in Washington DC, came back to scout new talent at Saturday night's all-star schools match at National Stadium and also took in the All-Star Classic on Sunday at Somerset.

He watched six matches in total, from the Mini Minors to seniors and reached the conclusion that Bermuda is still full of natural talent.

"I was very impressed with the level of play,'' said Tucker who has been returning to Bermuda for several years for the all-star schools games. "In the past I thought the play was largely unorganised but (Sunday) the consistency was there, there was a lot of ground soccer and they were using the width of the field.

"I was very surprised to find out that these guys (senior all-stars) were from different clubs. I would like to see that match every week, I got very excited. Even the guys who came off the bench added to the game and made it very exciting.'' Despite being in the Washington area for the last 21 years, first as a student at Howard and for the last 15 years as a coach at the university, Tucker has kept up with the local game.

"My opinion before was that we had a lot of work to do but there appears to be some work being done. I was impressed with the players at all levels,'' he said.

"I watched the bantams and the minors up here in Somerset and Bermuda has skillful players.'' But when recruiting such talent there is one major problem facing visiting college and university coaches.

"My concern is whether or not we've developed the student,'' said Tucker, who has recruited a number of Bermudians into the Howard programme, players such as David Sabir of the BFA, Shannon Burgess, Eugene Pascoe and Shelby Weldon.

One of the most successful of his ex-Howard students is Newcastle United goalkeeper Chaka Hislop, who had a 3.5 grade point average before pursuing a career in the pros. Tucker is convinced taking the academic route first is a good way to go.

"I talked to a couple of students from Warwick Academy who had the SAT scores and are ready to go to school now but their parents are talking about holding them back a year so that they can mature, which I think is a good decision.

"Some of the other coaches who came down here with me are forming the same opinion every year, that we need to have these guys taking the SAT to see where they stand.

"We are taking some guys over there and finding they are not mature or dedicated to school work, but they can play ball. Some of them are coming back home early.'' Tucker was also impressed with the standard of play in the women's match on Sunday, but there were also some problems for Howard's women's coach, Michelle Steed, in her bid to recruit.

"She's impressed with the play but it was difficult for her because a lot of the girls who she was interested in were not eligible to go to school,'' said Tucker, who helped develop the women's programme at Howard.

"She (Steed) was looking for players this year but some of them are not eligible, some are too old and some too young.'' Added Tucker: "I was watching Somerset and Dandy Town bantams and I saw 22 guys who, if they had the academic ability, I would be ready to recruit (in future years).

"With the level of skill that was performed from both teams I was thinking `come on fellas, I hope somebody is going to have the grades in years to come.''' Tucker has been interested in returning to Bermuda to help the local programme. He was keen on the Technical Director of Coaching job a couple of years ago which went to German Burkhard Ziese.

Ironically another former Somerset Trojan, Clyde Best, who has been abroad even longer than Tucker, was also interested in that position. Best is now the new national coach.

Tucker feels he, too, has something to offer his country.

"I've been trying to prepare myself to getting back but it keeps eluding me,'' said Tucker.

"I was very interested (in the national coaching post) and it would have given me the opportunity to use all my experience and contacts. I believe that anybody I recommend to any of those coaches I could get them into school, so coming back to Bermuda would have opened the door for a lot of kids.

"I think I can give something back to the Island.'' MOVING IN STRIDE -- East's McKonnen Hollis readies to clear while under pressure during Sunday's men's All-Star match. East won the inaugural affair 3-1 before a large crowd at Somerset Cricket Club.