For Marvin Belboda just staying on the pitch for 90 minutes used to be something of an uphill struggle.

Calmness personified off the field, the striker's fiery temper on it led to him having so many early baths he should have perhaps been sponsored by Radox.

That all changed this season for the Devonshire Colts frontman when he made a personal vow to stay on the right side of the men in black.

With the domestic season now over, Belboda proved as good as his word.

He didn't receive a single dismissal and as a result he has reaped the rewards of international recognition at the relatively advanced age of 27.

Belboda was called up for the Island's recent Tennessee tour, which took in games against the Nashville Metros and an Hispanic All-Stars team.

And he did not let new national coach Mark Trott down, scoring a hat-trick in a 4-1 win against the largely Mexican side on Sunday night.

His tally, which included scores from two surging runs and a bizarre third when he cheekily stole the ball off the opposing goalkeeper who thought he had been given a free kick, drew high praise from Trott.

"I don't like to single people out but I think it was a credit to Marvin that he was able to get out here, whether people see it as a meaningful game or not, and score a hat-trick on his official debut,'' the coach said.

Asked why others had not bothered to call up the forward renowned for his game-turning ability, Trott said: "I think it's a case of, and Marvin would probably be the first to admit it, he was a little immature before as far as his attitude was concerned.

"For example, we all laughed and joked about it but this season was apparently the first season where he has never been sent off.

"To his credit he said that he had made up his mind from the beginning, from pre-season with Colts, that he wasn't going to get any red cards. That in itself is a sign of maturity.'' While stressing that performances were what kept people in the team, Trott intimated he had been more than satisfied with what he had seen from Belboda.

"I think he is a very talented individual and what we have noticed about him, as we have with most of the guys, is their attitude to want to become better players,'' he said.

The victory over the Hispanics followed a 2-0 defeat against the A League Metros, a game in which Trott said Bermuda's deficiences were exposed.

"We learned that we have the talent to compete at a higher level,'' he said.

"But we also learned ... the team's fitness level has to reach a very high standard, at least 20 to 25 percent higher than what it is right now.'' Trott said his players recognised this was an area that needed addressing.

"It is going to require an attitude change. To their credit the players realise they are going to have to put in the work,'' he said.

"Against a team like the Metros, if we had had for instance Shaun Goater, Kyle Lightbourne, Meshach Wade and David Bascome we win the match.

"From a skill point of view our players were better but overall as the game went on and on, because the Metros were at a higher fitness level, all of that became null and void.'' Marvin makes his mark From Page 19 Although the 99 percent of Bermuda's players were amateurs, Trott said they had to adopt the same attitude to fitness as the professionals.

"Most guys when the season's over take a hiatus. Some guys because of the way they are personally, continually work out and keep their level of fitness together,'' he said. "I think that the players involved in the national programme realise that is what they are going to have to do. Outside of training they will also have to do extra on their own.'' A team meeting will be held today for all national squad players, those who travelled to Tennessee as well as those who were involved in earlier training sessions, at BFA headquarters starting at 5.30 p.m.