Local football fans were scrambling for their maps yesterday after it was announced Bermuda were drawn against Montserrat in first-round qualifying action for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

What they would have discovered perhaps put them at ease as the Island will be facing the lowest-ranked team in FIFA. The volcano-ravaged isle ? just off the coast of Antigua in the Caribbean Sea ? is at number 204 while Bermuda are currently number 183.

However, new senior national coach Kenny Thompson is not being lulled into complacency as his boys prepare for their rivals in the North, Central America and Caribbean zone of competition next year.

?We have a responsibility to play every match to win and no matter who the opponent is we will certainly try to win. We?re not paying too much attention to the rankings, especially as we in Bermuda are in no position to be complacent about anyone or any country in the football family.

?The thing I?m happy about is that we now have a name of a country we can say we will be playing against and that makes our preparation more exciting ? to put a name to an opponent as compared to just having a date,? said Thompson following the draw in Frankfurt, Germany, yesterday.

The two British Overseas Territories will first clash here on February 18 before Bermuda travel south for the return leg on March 31. Should the Island overcome Montserrat ? whom they have never played before ? El Salvador would await them in the second round.

El Salvador will host the first leg on June 12 or 13 with their away leg being June 19 or 20.

Given that Montserrat is virgin ground for Bermuda, Thompson is keen to seek out as much knowledge about the team and the country as possible.

?It would be very much to our advantage if Montserrat are playing any matches between now and February 18 for us to have a look and make an assessment of their team and be in a better position to plan for them. That would be ideal.

?As for the second leg in Montserrat, it would be great for someone to go down there and take a look at everything from the playing conditions to the living conditions.

?I?ll definitely be suggesting that.?

The coach said he would not want to be in the same position as Bermuda were last December when the Under-17 team played in Cuba.

?We found out everything when we got there. We were in no way, shape or form prepared, especially for the pitch.?

As for Bermuda?s build-up towards the World Cup, he said they were aiming to play ?as many competitive matches as possible?.

?It?s good we have the matches against Barbados already tied in,? he said, alluding to the Christmas tour by another Caribbean team.

?I?d also like to see us play a match towards the end of January but as you know finances are always a challenge and getting the right opponent is also a challenge.?

While not wanting to take the spotlight off their immediate mission, he acknowledged that advancing to battle El Salvador would be tough.

?It?s important we don?t look past Montserrat and our entire focus will be on them at this time. However, we know the draw pits the winner against El Salvador and whichever team is lucky enough to advance should look forward to playing a country like El Salvador who are a very good footballing nation.

?They are certainly a country against whom we have experience, having played them in the qualifiers for the 1994 World Cup. It?s very appealing.?

On a related matter, Thompson revealed that he met with Heys Wolfe and Raymond Beach ? two of the Island?s top strikers ? to discuss the matter of them not responding to an invitation to join the national squad.

?They expressed an interest and I?ve talked to them and told them that the door is open in the future but certainly not at this time ? and only based on principle.

?They didn?t respond initially and we had to move on. It would be very unfair to players who committed themselves from the beginning to have Heys and Raymond show up and be included now.

?I?ve expressed this to them and they left the meeting feeling that was fair. It?s important they now look to the future to be ready for any opportunity that may come.?

Thompson could not be specific as to when another call-up might arise for the Devonshire Cougars pair but noted it?s important ?they remain ready for whenever a call comes?.

That, he added, would be at his discretion.