soccer coach, advertisements for the vacant post are expected to be placed within the next week.

Bermuda Football Association president Neville Tyrrell confirmed this week that the governing body were anxious to get on board a full complement of coaches in order that an international programme could be put into effect as soon as possible.

However, the president would not comment on reports that Kenny Thompson, the current coach of the under-17 national squad and director of soccer at league leaders North Village, was the favourite to replace Clyde Best whose three-year, $100,000 contract was not renewed last Spring.

Tyrrell would only say that all coaching appointments would likely be made from individuals who had graduated from the current coaching courses being conducted by Jon Beard, chairman of the BFA Coaching Committee.

"At this stage all I can say in regards to a national coach is that we hope to get one with experience and the necessary papers, but there certainly isn't any one person in our mind,'' said Tyrrell.

"We are going to advertise for our staff people but, while saying this, the possibility of us looking outside the Island always exists. I was hoping that we would have already begun to advertise but I expect to check with our coaching chairman Jon Beard and get this done in the immediate future.'' The BFA, however, will assign several successful coaches from Beard's courses as head of various national squads, namely the under-19, under-17 and under-15 -- all working under the senior national coach.

Tyrrell would not comment on whether the BFA would be in a position to pay Best's replacement the same salary, but dismissed rumours that the new appointee would be offered some $40,000 less.

"Any such claims are rubbish,'' he said. "We have on paper what we consider to be suitable remuneration for our coaching staff plans and we have given lots of thoughts to that matter.'' There are some who feel that Gary Darrell, Bermuda's most successful coach after taking the senior squad to the second round of the World Cup in 1993 and a holder of the English FA coaching badge, might be offered the post again.

Work commitments have prevented Darrell from getting too involved in coaching in recent years.

These days, however, with Darrell now operating his carpet-laying business on a part-time basis while working full-time for the Bermuda Housing Corporation, there may be an attempt to lure him back into coaching.

"Mr. Darrell has always been in our coaching plans, but his personal business had shrunk his level of spare time that he may have been in a position to give,'' said Tyrrell.

"However, if his position has changed and he has an interest then it will be left for people like him to apply.'' On the short-list: Under-17 coach Kenny Thompson, seen here checking the heart rate of Shannon DeShields during a recent training session, is believed to be one of the frontrunners for the vacant post of senior national coach.