Shaun Goater fears the chances of fellow Bermudians following in his footsteps will be few and far between unless the Island can properly nurture its talent.

The Manchester City striker believes Bermuda's footballing authorities need to modernise the way they prepare youngsters for a possible life in professional soccer if the Island is not to get left further behind its rivals than it already is.

Goater was speaking after learning about trials organised in England recently for a handful of Island players.

Selected to undergo trials with West Ham United were Damon Swan, Dion Stovell and Domico Coddington while Takehyi Walker, Trevor Smith, Jason Dill and Shannon DeShield went off to Premiership rivals Middlesbrough.

Raymond Beach and Dennis Russell travelled to Tottenham while Angelo Simmons was put through his paces at Manchester United.

Stephen Astwood, denied a chance to join Preston last year because of work permit problems, trained with First Division Portsmouth and had a reserve team run out at Spurs.

However, none of the players were able to secure contracts, returning only with experience - valuable nonetheless - and a pat on the back from their respective hosts.

Goater was unaware of the presence of his fellow Islanders until contacted recently by a First Division club who sought his advice on one particular player.

"I think it's good that players are coming over here and having trials and so forth but whoever is sending them needs to tell these kids what they are coming to," he said. "If they are sending over that many kids and none of them are making it is not good for the Island. If they are all going back not having achieved anything then somewhere along the line they are not being prepared properly and people are hoping that, for example, 'if we send 20, one will get a contract'."

Goater was met by a Bermuda Football Association delegation last year while they were on a visit to their English counterparts and he believes they should be at the forefront of any programme to introduce young players to prospective employers.

"As a result of the visit they will have some idea of the way things are run over here," he said. "The BFA have to get involved, make sure the kids are involved in the national programme, find out how they are off the field and make it clear to them just how many others like them there are seeking such trials.

"Clubs are able to search the world now and players are coming from all over."

With purse strings tight in English football, especially in the lower leagues, Goater believes Bermuda should be sending only the best of the best overseas.

"Clubs are not going to waste money putting kids up for two weeks if the ones that they saw before were not up to standard," he said.

"The BFA need to come out here, and I am hoping they already have, so they can see how these kids train for a week.

"Then they can go back and say 'this is what these kids do in pre-season, so this is what I want you to do over the next two or three weeks so you will be in good shape'.

"We have to understand how they live, how they train and how they play.

"In England these kids are going to school to learn how to deal with the media, they are seeing dieticians about their food intake and psychologists and this is at 16 years of age.

"We just have no idea."