WHILE Bermuda may see the likes of overseas pros John Barry Nusum and Shaun Goater next week playing against the New England Revolution, one player who is not expected to play for Bermuda will be UK-based Damon Ming.

But that is not because Ming doesn't want to play, but rather because he is pushing hard for a contract at Barnett FC where he has been training.

Bermuda's assistant National team coach, Paul Scope, said this week: "He is probably not coming back for the Revolution game because he is getting pretty close to a contract at Barnett."

Ming, 25, first went to Barnett last October although he did return to play for Bermuda late last year in the Digicel Cup in the Caribbean.

Scope, who was in England earlier this week on business, said: "I am over in England quite a lot and I try to check in on Damon when I can. He has been working hard all season to get to this point. I know he would love to come back and play for his country but he is right at a crucial point in his development at Barnett. He is getting stronger which he needed to be for this kind of football. I have seen him several times in training and he is much stronger than he was. He is showing some great dedication and he is benefiting from training in a professional environment. I am fairly confident he will be offered something soon. He deserves it as he has put the work in ? he is a fine example for anybody in Bermuda who wants to compete at the pro level.

"He has been brilliant about it and because of his great attitude, he has really enjoyed it over there even though he has not had many games. He has enjoyed the whole experience ? the training and the actual physical stuff and you can see that he is really benefiting from it. He is rooming with two of the single guys from Barnett. It is a nice little apartment just across the training ground. Damon is living and working with professional players and is getting a taste of what it is like."

Barnett are making a strong push for promotion as they are currently topping the tables in the Nationwide Conference.