economic crisis would not be easily solved.

Charlie Marshall, president of the BFA until Richard Thompson took over a year ago, said that when he stepped down from the position the association boasted a cash surplus of well over $100,000.

"I think it's going to be extremely difficult for them to reduce the deficit right now unless they come up with some ingenious ideas,'' said Marshall yesterday.

Marshall added that the community had lost faith "in the administration of football.'' "Until they see some changes it's going to be very difficult for any of the footballing authorities to do very much at this stage of the game,'' he said.

"People do give money to sports but those that make that decision have to be accountable to who they give money to. And organisations that are constantly in the news with negative news...(the corporate sector) would rather give (money) to other organisations.'' However, Marshall said that the BFA had been hit hard by cash woes in the past and noted that when he took over as president in 1991 he inherited a debt of $100,000.

"We were able to wipe out the debt, pay all our bills, pay all of the expenses of the World Cup and also have a surplus of $120,000. The records will show that.'' Later he added: "I guess reality is that the activities that have been going on in association football, certainly after I left, speaks for itself.

Obviously these things all cost money. When I was president I'd never even consider taking on any sort of commitment by the association without having the financial ability to pay for that commitment. Every commitment that I made, there was a financial budget made for it and that budget was adhered to.

"Association football is a business and it must be run like a business. You don't go off making commitments and training young men and women to participate in tournaments when you don't have the ability to pay for that.'' Charlie Marshall