National Academy director Richard Todd believes Bermuda must make an unbeaten start to the Digicel Cup to stand any chance of qualifying for the next round.Bermuda will compete in a tough group that includes hosts Haiti, Puerto Rico and St Martin (French), with the top two advancing to the next stage of the competition.Although Todd admits both Haiti and Puerto Rico who lost 1-0 to World and European champions Spain recently will be particularly strong, he is still optimistic Bermuda can progress.“It’s going to be a challenge, let’s be realistic with that,” said the former St George’s coach. “Puerto Rico are very similar to us in terms of the FIFA World Rankings.“I think it’s important we get some sort of result out of the first game (against Puerto Rico). If you don’t come out with a positive result from your first game then you’re automatically on back the foot.“We would like to be going into the our final match against St Martin with a chance of qualifying.“We need Haiti’s final game against Puerto Rico to have some meaning; we can’t afford for it to be a dead-rubber. We want both of those teams to need a result.”Bermuda Football Association president Larry Mussenden last week moved to ease concerns about the high crime, poor infrastructure and prevalence of cholera in poverty-stricken Haiti, which suffered a devastating earthquake that killed thousands and left thousands more homeless two years ago.Despite Haiti being hit by tropical cyclone Isaac less than a fortnight ago, Todd said he had no concerns about travelling to the Caribbean country and that the players and coaches had received the necessary vaccinations.“I have no real concerns, we asked all the necessary questions and were as prudent as we could in our preparations. We have had assurances from Concacaf, the Caribbean Football Union and the Haiti Football Federation, and done our own due diligence in terms of talking to individuals and groups who have been in and out of Haiti,” said Todd, who was appointed part-time Academy director last month.“The Spirit of Bermuda recently took a group down so we’ve had some feedback from them.“The medical staff has been quite prudent in making sure all the necessary immunisation have been received by the players and all the precautionary steps are in place.”National team defender Darius Cox said the players had been very receptive to the coaching methods of new head coach Andrew Bascome.“I worked with Andrew at Devonshire Rec with Cougars and his style is very informative,” he said. “He helps everyone and we listen to him a lot. He gets a good deal of respect out of every player. We’ve been doing a lot of technical work and physical work. Both Andrew and Richard Todd get a lot of respect from the players.“When you respect the coach you will do a lot for him. It makes you work harder for them when you know they have your back one hundred percent.”Bascome’s first game in charge of the national team will be against Puerto Rico on Friday at the new Sylvo Cator Stadium.They then face Haiti on Sunday before taking on St Martin in their final group game next Tuesday.Bermuda have not competed in the Digicel Cup since 2008 when they failed to reach the second round under then coach Kenny Thompson.