Incredible as it may sound, the Dudley Eve champions next season may not come from Bermuda.

That possibility came to light yesterday with the disclosure that the tournament that runs from just after the middle of December to the New Year has been restructured. The Bermuda Football Association announced the competition will feature a visiting club against either the Bermuda senior national squad, the local champions of the Premier Division or the leaders at the time.

This was just one of the changes that chairman Charles Clarke and his League and Competitions Committee have come up with during talks to restructure soccer on the Island.

"It's a total restructure of the Dudley Eve," he explained. "When we bring our tours in over the Christmas holidays the Bermuda national squad or the League leaders or champions will play the incoming team for the trophy. One game will decide the winner.

"We will be getting away from the local teams playing so many matches over that period. We're hoping to get a minimum of three tour games played with the other matches involving the select teams or other existing title holders at the time.''

The Martonmere Cup is also to be changed with the finalists from this year automatically getting a place in the competition next season and the other top four teams meeting each other in a one-game elimination - the winners moving on to join up in a four-team round-robin series.

The final will still be held on November 11.

The Friendship Trophy remains unscathed even though it brings in less revenue than the others.

Clarke had originally disclosed several months ago that the BFA would evaluate it carefully to determine whether it was "financially viable'' to continue it in his current format.

"The Friendship makes up the original Triple Crown that also features the FA Cup and Premier Division champions so it was felt best to let the Friendship remain the same,'' said Clarke.

Also untouched is the make-There is no change in the make-up of the Premier and First Divisions, the committee opting to keep the current eight-team format in the top flight.

However, Clarke hinted that while the nine-team second tier has not been altered there could be invitations extended to some prominent Commercial Division teams to move up a notch.

"We can't force anybody to come up, we can only extend invitations and we will just have to wait and see,'' he said.