A trip this weekend to the Cayman Islands where Bermuda's youth soccer squad were scheduled to compete in Under-17 World Cup qualifying round has been called off.

David Sabir, General Secretary of Bermuda Football Association, explained yesterday that organisers had surprisingly postponed the tournament.

However, the BFA have come up with an alternative plan that is being offered to the Caribbean Football Union, organisers of the section of the FIFA/CONCACAF qualifications, which proposes that Bermuda act as hosts for the event early in the new year.

The Cayman tournament was to run from November 29 to December 3 and feature Caymans, Bermuda, Cuba and the US Virgin Islands.

"Obviously we are disturbed by the turn of events, considering the short time frame of notice, but these things happen,'' said Sabir. "We learned that the Virgin Islands had withdrawn and also that the Cayman Islands had said they were unable to host the tournament during that period.

"Cayman have, however, agreed to act as host from December 6-9 which means that Bermuda will have to leave here on December 4 and return on 11, but obviously this causes us a few problems.

" One, we have to deal with getting there and there is a question of airline availability as well as unknown cost for these change of dates.

"As a consequence we are in discussion wth the CFU to see if it is possible for us to host this qualification series. We are asking for an after Christmas tournament, an early January date, but we will have to see how they respond.

"If we are successful the intent would be for us to use our best efforts to see the team qualify out of this group in early January which will keep the team highly active and certainly more match ready to be able to play the second phase of the qualifications scheduled for the end of January.'' Kenny Thompson, national coach of the squad, said he wasn't too bothered by the delay and was encouraged by the BFA's alternative plans.

"The players were told about the postponement and there was no reaction. They are maturing and it seems that they accept that these things are part of life and that's a good thing,'' said Thompson. "It's going to only bode well in the way they approach football matches.

"The situation has caught us by surprise but these things happen. I think our players are quite used to the difficulities that can arise and we have prepared them for meeting all types of situations.

"We have made serious demands on this team and I am very proud of them in the sense that the players have met the demands, many that they were not used to regarding academics, social behaviour, punctuality at training and attendance at training sessions. And there is no doubt that this group have come through this test.'' The BFA yesterday announced that they had moved to postpone all senior matches this weekend, while opting to leave junior matches untouched.

"Having reviewed the current situation of the referees and in consideration of the regulations that provide for the Commercial, Reserve and Women's Division, we have decided in a show of unification and in support of the ideal of solidarity to suspend all soccer matches in these divisions this weekend,'' said Sabir.

"Although it was stated earlier that these matches would be allowed to go on in the absence of an official referee, it was decided after further consulation that it was in everyone's best interest that the entire football family benefit from decisions that will be made regarding the current matter of safety for referees whereby every section of football understands and endorses the final outcome as opposed to one part of football continuing to enjoy the game while the other endures the state of inactivity.''