MONEY, we're told, won't bring happiness and it's been said it can only guarantee a better quality of misery.

Such has been the case with our two national sports.

Government have thrown dollar notes at football and cricket in the manner in which most people dip their hands into a box of confetti, but neither are in better shape now than they were a quarter of century ago.

Since our national cricket team qualified for the World Cup we've seen a continual decline. Despite being underwritten by Government, Bermuda Cricket Board have had to endure one disappointment after another.

The millions of dollars sent their way sure hasn't brought happiness, although maybe the players have at least been able to share their misery in some exotic locations, overseas tours taking them to the likes of Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean, where they've suffered one loss after another.

Had such a record been compiled elsewhere, the coach would have been fired long ago.

But in Bermuda's case, it's difficult to know what more Gus Logie could have done.

Having seen players continually ignore his instructions once they get out on the pitch, his frustration has been more intense than most.

Matters have got even worse since the post World Cup retirement of Dean Minors, Clay Smith and Saleem Mukuddem, and while skipper Irving Romaine, Dwayne Leverock and David Hemp always appear to give it their best shot and there's been a marked improvement from pace bowler Kevin Hurdle, a few others in the national team don't seem particularly bothered.

With the Under-19 World Cup just around the corner, perhaps now is the time to make some sweeping changes.

Under-19 skipper Rodney Trott, Malachi Jones and Stefan Kelly have already shown they can perform at a higher level, and when the youth team travel to Malaysia in February for the World Cup finals, there's a wonderful opportunity for their team-mates to show the kind of commitment which hasn't always been evident among some of their senior counterparts.

As for football, hopefully new national coach Keith Tucker won't have to experience the same frustrations as Logie, but the signs don't look good.

From a squad of more than 60, just 10 turned up for the first training session.

What Tucker will quickly find out after watching a few Premier games, is that there are barely 10 capable of playing international football, let alone 60. And among that 10, more than half will find some excuse not to attend training.

It's supposed to be an honour representing your country, but our players still don't get it.

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IT WON'T be the most important game of his career but one that he'll look back on with tremendous pride.

Shaun Goater takes his place among some of football's past greats this weekend when he lines up in a World XI who meet an England XI in a charity match on the home ground of Manchester City where supporters still regard him as a living legend.

It's more than coincidence that the Goat has been selected for this match because of his association with the City fans who will no doubt dominate an expected crowd of thousands.

But it's interesting that his contributions to the game are still recognised more overseas than here at home - as was the case with Clyde Best before him.

Those who run this country, barely recognised outside their own parish, are keen to name airports, schools and other buildings after their own heroes (some deserving of such an honour and others not) but seem to have forgotten the likes of Goater and Best who have probably done more to put Bermuda on the map than the rest of them put together.

Perhaps whoever's in control after the upcoming election might want to think about that.

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TALKING of recognition . . .

Twenty years ago or more road running was perhaps the most popular and diverse sport on this Island, with every race attracting hundreds of competitors, and while that popularity has declined there remain many who were a part of that boom who continue to pound the roads.

But these days there's no incentive for their tired old legs to perform.

As one old-timer runner pointed out last week, while the Masters division (over-40) provides prizes for its winners, as does the senior Masters (over-50), there's rarely provision for the real veterans, over the age of 60.

That was the case in the recent Bacardi race, last week's BTFA Half-Marathon and will be the case in tomorrow's Cross-Country Championships.

To some that might not be a big deal, but to the dozen or more who have spent a lifetime running they have a right to feel snubbed.

- ADRIAN ROBSON