Scott Morton may only be a rookie in the football coaching game, but he's setting his sights high.

The North Village boss has already brought two trophies to the club since he took over at the start of the season, and with the Red Devils handily placed in the league despite yesterday's setback against Devonshire Colts, there aren't many who would write off his chances of landing the title -- if not this season, further down the road.

What's more, Morton is also involved in the national youth set-up, helping out Kenny Thompson as he prepares his Under-17 team for the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers which take place on the Island later this month.

The laid back coach is not one to blow his own trumpet, but when asked, should his success hold out, would he one day like to lead the Bermuda national side at some level, the answer was an unequivocal `Yes'.

Making it clear he saw his immediate future with the Red Devils, Morton said: "Most definitely, I would love to do that. But as of right now I haven't applied for any of the national posts that they have advertised.

"Basically, I want to take care of the business at hand at North Village and since I'm a rookie coach I want to establish some kind of rhythm in the direction I want to go in.

"I don't want to be jumping from one team to the next. I want to get grounded first and then we can build from there.'' If a national job came his way eventually, Morton said he would consider it a great honour.

"Most definitely. That is one of my ambitions. That is the highest level and I'm pretty sure every aspiring coach would love to reach it and see how players adapt to overseas competition,'' he said.

The coach admits his association with Thompson, who it is believed was his strongest advocate when the Village post became vacant, has been a big help.

"When I first started to get into coaching he was the first person I sought out as far as information on where to go, what to do and so on,'' said Morton, whose playing career was cut short by a bad knee injury.

"He was the person that initially got my interest going because of his reputation and because of what he had done, especially as regards the youth players starting at Somerset Eagles.'' Though eager to learn from others, Morton is keen to show that he is is own man.

He said to a certain degree Thompson's philosophy had rubbed off on him, but added: "The type of person I am, I can take certain information but then I also have to go and seek things out for myself to verify that.

"That is what I did. I talked with him and did some work with him and then I did some travelling on my own.

"I have been to the Netherlands three times and did the same Dutch course that Kenny has done. I did a course at Ajax and also spent a month at Heerenveen and have been to Brazil and the United States.'' Wherever his future lies, Morton believes his desire for learning will stand him in good stead.

"With my experience of working with Kenny and the Under-17s and travelling and seeing what players of that age group are capable of in the international arena, that will count vastly,'' he said.

"But I have to keep going on and on as far as educating myself is concerned.

It doesn't stop here, it must continue.'' As regards the current state of football in Bermuda, Morton is at pains to look on the bright side.

"Regardless and in spite of the negativity that is read about in the newspaper with people saying how soccer is deteriorating, I'm a person that likes to keep thinking positive at all times,'' he said.

"They say that in order to go forward you must go back sometimes. I look at this as a time when we are going back and a time to build for the future.'' With the future in mind, Morton aims to be alongside Thompson, Village commitments allowing, when the Under-17s begin their World Cup quest on February 12 at National Sports Centre.

Last Thursday night he made the Red Devils available for a training match with the youngsters and from what he saw believes they have a bright future.

Village ran out 1-0 winners thanks to a Dwight Warren goal, but the Under-17s had several chances of their own and were in no way disgraced.

"I think they did extremely well,'' he said. "Especially considering our physical conditioning, our size and our speed. I think they handled themselves quite well.

"They are very disciplined and that is what is required most at international level.'' Great Scott! North Village's first-year coach Scott Morton (left) has already picked up two trophies this season and appears destined to win plenty more.