Bermuda?s footballers have been dispatched from the 2006 World Cup qualifiers but one of the Island?s top referees is still in the game.

Tony Mouchette has been called up for linesman duty in next Wednesday?s third-round fixture between St.Kitts-Nevis and St.Vincent and the Grenadines in St. Kitts.

It?s his fourth international appointment, having served as linesman in matches in Anguilla, the Dominican Republic and Trinidad & Tobago during the 2002 World Cup qualifiers and it has come at a time when the 42-year-old was considering blowing the whistle on his days in the middle.

?I was considering packing it in at the beginning of this season but this FIFA call has rejuvenated me and I?ve given it second thoughts,? he admitted.

?It?s a good indication. It?s nice to know that we?re being recognised even though with our geographical location we?re at a disadvantage and we are seldom used though we are on the FIFA list.

?It?s easier for FIFA to get officials from elsewhere because it wouldn?t cost them as much to travel.?

Mouchette, who leaves for the Caribbean on Monday, has requested that, in preparation for his assignment, Bermuda Football Association (BFA) give him as much linesman duty as possible and therefore he will not be in the centre until he returns home.

?Being on the line, you have to concentrate on the last player, especially for quick breaks. You have a specific duty and the most controversial play is the offside trap. Therefore this is where your focus must be at all times.

?The slightest bit of time taking your eyes off the ball or the player can result in an error or in an unfair goal being scored.?

While the Police chief inspector would relish the opportunity to progress in officiating, he is realistic about his chances.

?I would like to go further but the perception is, that because Bermuda?s (footballing) standard is so low, the officiating is on par. Our ranking is 160th in the world so obviously I don?t expect to get any top-notch World Cup games.,? said the 2003-2004 Referee of the Year.

?Most times you (referees) get eliminated at the same time that your country gets eliminated from the tournament. Most likely we would get a first or second-round appointment.

?Surprisingly, this is a third-round appointment which I didn?t expect but I don?t see us getting any (appointments) beyond this. It?s unfortunate.?

Though he enjoys the challenge of officiating, Mouchette ? like several of his counterparts ? is disenchanted with the behaviour of both players and fans on the domestic scene, noting their bad attitude have undermined his commitment to local soccer which he is likely to quit soon.

?The verbal abuse is totally unnecessary and it makes life frustrating. It?s terrible to see players and fans get upset over the simplest things,? said the former forward for Devonshire Cougars, North Village, Vasco da Gama and Prospect.

?In my opinion, a referee does not deliberately cheat. In the same way a player may miss goals which they don?t intend to, officials make errors but we try to minimise these.?

Mouchette, who has been refereeing since the early 1990s, revealed that while he cannot comment on the field, he is often appalled at the output he sees, particularly in front of the uprights.

?Sometimes it?s tempting to put the whistle down and put back on the boots because there are goals I?ve seen people miss which I know I would have scored,? he declared.