Bermuda legend Shaun Goater has thrown his weight behind his Hogges partner, Kyle Lightbourne, as the hunt hots up for the national team's next coach.

Yesterday Goater also hailed his old mentor, Andrew Bascome, as the ideal candidate to become Bermuda Football Association's (BFA) full-time youth director, although it is believed the footballing guru wants the top job.

But Goater, who has not applied for either position, would prefere ex-Bermuda coach Lightbourne to take the reins and is confident he would thrive working for president Richard Calderon's new regime and deserves another crack after coaxing good results out of the Island's national team, under difficult circumstances.

"In an ideal world I'd like to see Kyle (Lightbourne) as the national team coach and Andrew (Bascome) as the youth director," said Goater, who is Lightbourne's Hogges assistant. "That's my humble opinion and I think they would be the best combination."

"Kyle did an excellent job as Bermuda coach in very difficult circumstances. There was no Government funding back then and some of the things he had to contend with hindered what he wanted to achieve.

"Still, he took the country the furthest we've ever been in the Digicel Cup and moved us forward 60 places or so up the FIFA rankings. I think he's earned the right to have another crack."

While Bascome enjoys the patronage of many influential figures in the football fraternity who would like the Boulevard Blazers boss to be given the national coach's role, Goater thinks otherwise.

As Bascome's most illustrious pupil, Goater has first-hand experience of his coaching expertise and reckons his former tutor possesses crucial knowledge that Bermuda's most talented youngsters need to absorb.

"I know many people are probably in favour of Andrew becoming the head coach but I feel his qualities would be ideal for the youth director's role," he said. "I say this because I class myself as a pupil of Andrew's. He shaped and moulded my game before I left for England and I can tell you now the things he taught me as a boy I used throughout my career. He has information our young players need to be exposed to."

For Bermudian football to move forward, Goater believes the BFA must also enlist the services of other local footballing heavyweights and revealed he would still like to be involved in the national programme in a part-time capacity.

"The likes of Kenny Thompson, Scott Moreton, David Bascome, Dennis Brown and myself should be involved at some level," said Goater.

"I'm afraid my time has passed to be involved in the national programme on a full-time basis. I did chase it for a while but it didn't work out and now I have business commitments."

BFA technical director Derek Broadley has drawn up a short-list of four candidates for both vacant posts and will start interviewing next week.