BERMUDA’S first professional football team have postponed the start of training until the after the domestic leagues finishes and the FA Cup quarter-finals are played.Paul Scope, who along with Shaun Goater and Kyle Lightbourne own the Bermuda Hogges who will play in the United Soccer League’s second division, said this week: “We don’t want to interfere with the domestic club season so we will start training the week of March 18. That still gives us five weeks before our first game which is equivalent to the English pre-season.”

And getting the players into top “professional” shape will be the first order of business. Recently former Manchester City star Goater said he noticed that Bermuda’s national team players were not as fit as they should be after watching them take on the visiting New England Revolution from the Major Soccer League.

And Scope agreed saying: “Fitness is a concern, but we will be getting the players after a full domestic season and we will be selecting naturally fit players. When we do get training going we will be training seven times per week — five nights and two mornings for strength and fitness.

“We will also be having nutritional lectures as well as stretching, yoga, massage and posture sessions.”

Scope said the coaches will work with the players “on the mental aspects of the game”.

He added: “We do believe Bermuda players tire in the later stages of a game, whether it is physical fitness or mental intensity and we will be looking to improve these aspects.”

Goater, who has stated that he and Lightbourne will both be playing members of the Hogges but not for 90 minutes a game, said he will be setting an example for the other players when it comes to fitness training.

“I hope they respond,” he said adding that he wanted to show the players how “seriously” he takes his preparation for a season.

The Hogges are set to play their first game in Bermuda against the New Hampshire Phantoms at the National Sports Centre on April 20.

In fact they play their first five games at home before setting off for the likes of Harrisburg, Baltimore and Richmond.

Scope said: “The schedule is undergoing a little tweaking due to the availability of the NSC, but the blocks of home and away matches will stay pretty much the same. This has been done with the co-operation of the USL and the other teams to minimise the cost of travel, which is a substantial part of our budget.”

The annual budget of the Hogges is $750,000 and it is expected that of the 26 players in the squad, three to five will be on professional, franchise contracts with the rest on part-time contracts.

And Scope said they were well aware of trying to keep costs down. “We are working with airlines and hotels to get the best deals possible as we are also responsible for the cost of the teams coming down here from a gateway city.” Asked how many paying fans they hope to attract, he said: “We expect to get at least 500 paying customers per game — but most of our revenue will come from sponsorships.”

The major sponsor for the Hogges is Renaissance Re.

Scope said that although he and Lightbourne were no longer with the Bermuda national side — they had previously been the head and assistant coach — they both were excited about the prospect of the national team having more international matches due to the $15 million given to the Bermuda Football Association by Government.

“I think it is great there is going to be more international games. This is what has been badly needed and we want to continue to play our part in improving football in Bermuda in general and the national team, in particular.”

Many of the players in the Hogges team will most like feature for Bermuda in the international setting.

Asked if there could be a conflict with the newly formed Island Soccer League headed by indoor pro David Bascome, Scope said: “We don’t think there will be many or any conflicts with the ISL. We applaud what David is doing and he will have over 100 players involved.

“We on the other hand will be operating with no more than 30.”

Recently The Sun newspaper in London, England printed an article in which Goater said that there was a possibility that former Premiership stars could play for the Hogges.

Scope explained: “What Shaun was actually saying is that if we ever get to the MLS we may consider foreign players (with Immigration approval) if we are convinced that would be to the benefit of their Bermudian teammates. But obviously that is way down the line and for the foreseeable future we will be using Bermudian players only.”