Bermuda Football Association's director of youth soccer, Kenny Thompson, has hit back at clubs which failed to meet what he called new "basic" registration requirements geared towards raising the overall standard of the game in Bermuda.

As reported by The Royal Gazette earlier this week, a stand-off presently exists between the BFA and several clubs who failed to comply to a new directive, resulting in a delayed start to the Under-13 and Under-15 youth league season.

So far only three clubs - Western Rovers, United FC and North Village - have fallen in line with the amendments, which call for each club registered to train one of their members as a referee.

The problem, according to Thompson, is merely a reflection of the general attitude which exists within the community.

"Generally we accept mediocre behaviour and so it has an impact on our football as well," said Thompson.

"We accept mediocre performances by the players, mediocre performances are accepted by coaches and mediocre performances are accepted by administrators.

"We currently have a problem with a lack of officials in both youth and senior football . . . one match has already been postponed due to match officials not being present. So to help solve this problem we came up with a solution that each club that enters a team, or each team within a club, have a person who can be trained as a referee.

"But far too many of our clubs failed to meet either deadlines or requirements that were put forth to them in January.

"For players to be playing in matches which are not being officiated by trained persons has an impact on their overall performance. Officials are a very important part of the game and so without that component, the game suffers."

Thompson said the BFA had already held two referee courses, conducted free of charge, which were poorly attended by club members. In fact, one course, he said, failed to attract a single person.

"So many people have so much to say but are not prepared to do one percent of what is required to improve the game," continued Thompson. "So in general coaches aren't prepared to improve themselves. Obviously we can't speak for all the coaches because there are some out there who have put in the effort. But generally there's still too many coaches who are prepared to coach without being the best that they can be, without doing at least one coaching course to improve themselves. And they are the same coaches who week in week out are screaming at their players for better performances."

Thompson said clubs had ample time to meet the new requirements and were well informed as to the consequences of failing to comply.

"The clubs had nine months to meet the registration deadline and to also put forth at least one person who could enter the referees' pool. Now, for whatever reason, the administrators of these clubs didn't meet the deadline yet they criticise the BFA because they have to suffer the consequences for failing to comply.

"Why does this sort of thing only happen here in Bermuda? What we are discussing now is considered normal outside of Bermuda . . . meeting a deadline and a basic requirement."

Thompson said the local game was unable to progress largely due to the fact that far too much time was being wasted arguing over "petty things".

"We spend far too much time arguing and discussing petty issues like meeting a deadline that people knew about nine months ago," he added. "Youth football has been held up and the players are unable to play the game they want to play because the adults can't make a deadline and meet a basic requirement. And if some clubs could do it, then why couldn't the others also do it?"

Thompson said the BFA were there to assist clubs but that they in turn must hold up their end of the bargain by being accountable for their own shortcomings instead of constantly laying all of the blame on the association.

"The point we are trying to make here is that it is going to take a bit of effort on the individual's part within the clubs to meet these guidelines . . . guidelines which are designed not as punishment but to improve the overall structure of football for the most important component which is the players.

"The BFA are here to assist and there are people here within the BFA who go beyond the call of duty when others fail to live up to their responsibilities.

"In 2003 we are in no better position than we were when I first started coaching at the youth level in 1991. So here we are today talking about the same petty things that again are quite normal outside of Bermuda. And it's a joke!

"How can we truly get anything accomplished if we remain at this level and the same individuals who are talking about football's poor standards are the same individuals who are in football but are not prepared to improve themselves.

"Here we have adults who are critical of young people for their mediocre behaviour but yet exhibit the same mediocre behaviour themselves.

"And my message to all of them is simple . . . don't ask anyone to do what you're not prepared to do yourselves because I don't demand anything from anyone that I'm not prepared to do myself.

"In essence what they are saying to their students, as teachers of football, is that they are demanding optimum performance from their players without meeting those same demands themselves . . . and that is hypocrisy. These are the same individuals who are unable to meet the most basic deadlines yet who will criticise young people. And that's not good enough! There's just too many individuals in today's society who accept mediocre behaviour."