Bermuda will start as favourites to win the Caribbean Cup qualifying tournament on the Island next week, according to a top official from one of their rivals.

Cayman Islands Football Association president Jeffrey Webb said the host country would be the team to beat in the four-nation competition also involving Cuba and the Bahamas.

Last year's qualifiers were held in the Caymans, where Bermuda lost 2-0 to the home side and 2-1 to Cuba.

But Webb believed that home advantage for Bermuda would produce a very different outcome this time in the battle to qualify for the Caribbean Cup finals in Trinidad in the first two weeks of June.

"We have an almost totally different team from the one we had last year -- it is virtually an under-23 squad and for us it will be a learning experience,'' said Webb.

"For me, Bermuda are the favourites, playing at home and I'm sure the fans will be out to give them good support.'' Last year, the Caymans qualified for the finals where they lost 4-0 to eventual winners Jamaica and 1-0 to Haiti, but they managed a 2-0 win against the Netherland Antilles.

Since then the Caymans have made mass changes to their playing personnel and three months ago, they drafted in a new coach, Joscelyn Morgan.

Webb explained: "We decided we wanted to build a team on a long-term basis, with a view to the World Cup qualifiers which start in a year or so.

"Last year we played a lot of experienced players, but we believed that team had gone as far as it could and we needed an injection of youth.

"But our young players are experienced in that they have played together in under-17 and under-20 World Cups.'' All the players are drawn from the local amateur league, a similar set-up to that in Bermuda, with an eight-team top flight and and a 10-team Second Division.

Their only international outings in 1999 have been two friendlies against Jamaican Premier League side Seba United which both ended in draws, 1-1 and 3-3.

The Bahamas, who only resumed competitive international football this year after a 15-year absence, will represent even more of an unknown quantity to Bermuda director of coaching Clyde Best.

In February, they returned in style, with a 3-0 win over the Turks and Caicos Islands, which together with a goalless draw with the US Virgin Islands, was enough for them to qualify for next week's tournament.

Lionel Haven, general secretary of the Bahamas Football Association, who doubles up as captain and midfielder for the national team, was hopeful rather than confident about his country's chances.

"Although it will be difficult for us to qualify, it is not impossible,'' said Haven.

"Realistically, this is an opportunity for us to see ourselves against the level of competition we aim to be at. Bermuda and Cuba both have more advanced national programmes than us.'' Haven plays for Cavalier FC, who have just won their third successive Grand Bahama League title.

Two of his team-mates for club and country, he cited as men to watch next week, goalkeeper Harvey Mullins and forward Kevin Davies.

Haven added that the combination of Davies and Nesly Poteau formed a speedy striking partnership.

Like the Caymans, the Bahamas draw all their players from local amateur leagues, the 11-team New Providence League and the six-team Grand Bahama League. They are coached by British `expat' Peter Wilson.

Next week's matches will all be played at the National Sports Centre, with Bermuda playing the feature match in three double headers on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.