Alfie Eve, son of the late Bermuda Football League founding member Dudley Eve, insisted yesterday that playing a single match in honour of his father was no replacement for the Christmas tournament that carried his father's name.

Eve was commenting following Bermuda Football Association's official disclosure that the Dudley Eve Trophy would make way for a Christmas tour involving a local select squad, a Premier Division side and the visiting Jamaican Olympic squad.

The new series kicks off on December 26 at National Sports Centre.

"That was an established trophy. Having something played for in the honour of somebody doesn't make it the same as far as I'm concerned," said Eve.

"I still think that they should have the competition because it's part of the clubs' incentive to want to go and win trophies and stuff like that.

"Invariably if you're in the top four at the Christmas break it's most likely that the eventual league winners will come from one of those four teams."

Eve said it appeared that the BFA had a hidden agenda.

"I guess they want $25 or $30 admissions. It seems like the association want to make some money out of this new deal and then worry about the clubs later," he added.

"What they are doing is taking the clubs out of the equation altogether and it just sounds as though it's going to be money making for them as opposed to the clubs."

Eve believed the tournament could still be played, perhaps at an earlier date. He even hinted at the possibility of axing the Martonmere Cup.

"It can still be played. It doesn't have to be played at Christmas. The worst scenario would be to eliminate the Martonmere Cup and play it as a pre-season tournament. Instead of the top six teams playing against each other, cut it down to four teams," he suggested.

"But I still think that the competition in its old format is viable and if the BFA need to know why then they can contact me."