Kenny Thompson has been named as Bermuda's national soccer coach following the surprise resignation of Gary Darrell.

Darrell should have been preparing to lead the team into next year's World Cup qualifiers, but told Bermuda Football Association bosses last week that he had had enough.

He had taken over in September of last year, going back to the job that he had held at the beginning of the 90s.

However, BFA President Larry Mussenden confirmed that Darrell, who did not return a call yesterday, had stepped down last Thursday, with Thompson being appointed just 24 hours later.

"We had Gary Darrell to take the Bermuda senior squad through to the World Cup qualifiers but he came to us and informed us that he was not prepared to go ahead," said Mussenden.

"He said he had some other things that he was concentrating on and so we have moved on. We thank Gary Darrell for his contribution to football in Bermuda at the national level over all of the years. We are sad to see that Gary won't be taking the team forward, but we have now looked at all of our options and we are absolutely delighted that Kenny Thompson has accepted the post."

He added: "Were there any other candidates? At this point, when Mr. Darrell said he was not going to go forward, with the shortness of time and looking at who was available, Kenny was the best person at this time. He is the right person at the right time."

With the qualifiers for the 2006 World Cup in Germany set to begin in February, Mussenden said the dormant national team would start their build-up this week.

"We are looking to get our training up and running by the end of this week," said the president. "There is a squad that will be at a team meeting later this week and we are looking forward to getting started with the World Cup campaign."

Mussenden said Thompson, who will retain his role as Director of Youth Development, had been given the job until the end of the qualifiers. He did not say what would happen beyond that point.

"We hope to advance through the qualifiers and Kenny is going to be there at the head," he said.

Mussenden praised the "wonderful" work Thompson had done in his role as youth director, especially at the helm of the Under-17s and Under-20s, and believed he had the qualities necessary for the top job.

"Using all the same principles ? his organisation, commitment and his dedication ? we now have under his direction our senior team," he said. "I have every confidence in Kenny having worked with him now for about two years or so. I am just pleased that he is able to take the team on from here. I have a lot of trust in Kenny."

Mussenden said he did not believe holding both the youth director post and national coach post would be a problem.

"Kenny has already established some staff coaches for the other youth teams," he said. "Now he will be managing those staff coaches and overseeing the project. He will juggle his schedule and he has already presented a plan whereby he will be able to take over the senior squad."

Mussenden denied that Thompson taking over the post was a 'fait a complis' as some observers might think.

"It is not a fait a complis because if Gary was prepared to take the team Gary would still be the coach," he said. "But, while I can't speak for Kenny, I would imagine any coach that has done as much work as Kenny has, who has equipped himself over the years with courses at his own expense, trips at his own expense, has built up the contacts and has put in a lot of hard work, would want to be the senior coach.

"I would imagine that Kenny may have had those aspirations some time ago, but people have to put themselves into a position to be able to take the job when it's available, and I think that Kenny has done that."

Mussenden said he now encouraged all other coaches to do the same.

"At the junior level, get involved with the coaching programmes that Kenny puts on, come to the BFA, sit down and talk and get involved with coaches so that you can deliver a good service and a good product to your teams," he said.

"At the senior level, continue to take advantage of the courses that we do and equip yourself so that, one day, when the opportunity is available for you you are there to take it."