With practically a year until the next World Cup qualifying stage, how do Bermuda achieve the unthinkable and qualify for a second time for Cricket World Cup 2011? There is no doubt that we have the talent here on this Island. However, do the players in Bermuda have the discipline, commitment, passion and pride that it will take for us to challenge for what could be one of only four places?

After last year's first-round dismissal of Pakistan and India, it seems as though the major cricketing nations are running scared. I guess the minnows in the World Cup were expected to roll over and play dead for the big boys, but this was not to be.

In case you forgot about the unexpected defeats at last year's World Cup, Ireland beat Pakistan and Bangladesh beat India, causing both superpower teams to be eliminated early. This caused a big stir among the cricketing fraternity due to the loss of income that resulted from having these two teams go home prematurely.

Hence the reason why India and Pakistan lead the fight to reduce the number of qualifying teams from 16 to 14, which would reduce the Associate Members from six teams to four, thus having a direct impact on Bermuda. Amazingly, the ICC is actually considering this, which would be a total farce, if you ask me. This would go solely against the ICC's mission to make cricket a leading global sport.

Let me make it perfectly clear, Bermuda, that if we are to qualify for a second time, we, as a country, have to collectively come together. Do we, as a country, understand the magnitude of qualifying for the World Cup? In most cases I do not think we do — just look at some employers who are reluctant to grant their players time off from work to represent their country, or players who fail to show up to specialised training with international coaches.

Basically, the first step would be to select a squad of 25. Secondly, the Bermuda Cricket Board, Government, players, and employers must sit down and come up with a plan that would grant the players leave without repercussions, for all tours. Once this has been done, a training plan must be put in place to physically challenge our players. Players should be made to meet attendance requirements, physical fitness requirements and oblige to any disciplinary matters put in place.

In Gus Logie we have a coach who is experienced, understands our culture, and knows how to get the best out of his players. There is no doubt in my mind that Gus is the best man for the job and we, as a country, owe him the respect that is due. Logie got us there once and I guarantee you that if he has the players who are willing to sacrifice — and I mean sacrifice whatever it takes — he can get us back there again.

In the past, one of the hindrances blocking Bermuda teams from accomplishing and achieving more than their predecessors was sporting politics. Too often players have been selected because of who they are or because of what club they play for and not because of their ability. With all these things in mind the biggest thing left to do would be to select a captain who can demand the respect from his players, a captain who the players believe in, and a captain who is technically sound.

As the past captain in the build-up to qualifying, I decided to focus on building a World Cup team around two things and asked all of the players to buy into my philosophy.

Firstly, I asked my players to be 100-percent committed, therefore giving every player an equal opportunity to make the team. Any player with less then a 70-percent training attendance was not eligible for selection no matter who they were, thus removing any doubt of politics coming into play.

Secondly, as a believer in God, I asked my players to pray after every training session and before every game and I can proudly say that we did from day one in training until the day we qualified in Ireland.

In closing, with the money from Government that caused so much controversy, it is extremely important we get it right and put the right people in place and shock Bermuda once again by qualifying in 2009.

Motto for the week: "If you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, then you will never change the outcome" - Michael Jordan.