Bermuda's soccer technical director Clyde Best reacted angrily yesterday after a former First Division coach criticised his management of the national team.

Best hit back over statements made by Jack Castle which questioned his credentials and those of his coaching staff Mark Trott and Robert Calderon.

In a letter to The Royal Gazette (see Page 25), Castle, who has had two spells at the helm of PHC, claimed Best lacked the qualifications for the post of technical director and that more experienced coaches than Trott and Calderon had been overlooked by the Bermuda Football Association hierarchy.

He also accused Best of "continuing to make excuses for the lacklustre performances of the teams he is selecting to represent Bermuda'' and of "not working hard enough to ensure we have the best players available in our national teams''.

Castle, who is now coaching children at Pee Wee level, claimed many others within the game felt the same but were too closely involved to speak out.

"Having observed the BFA's past few months, I've reached the conclusion that Bermuda needs to look outside for someone with qualifications, credentials and ability who can take local soccer back to a respectable level in the international football arena,'' he wrote.

"Being a former professional does not necessarily make a good coach as evidenced by the recent months of our national team's deplorable performances.

"Since Mr. Best has assumed the position of technical director I have personally seen him lean towards the coaches that lack the qualifications and the ability necessary to motivate and inspire our young players ... while coaches with qualifications sit on the sidelines and wonder why the BFA have not looked to them to coach the various teams at national level.

"Coaches such as Kenny Thompson, Josef Gooden, John Nusum, Andrew Bascome... are overlooked for one reason or another.'' But Best responded by accusing Castle of creating some of the problems that he was brought in to solve.

He said Castle had taken national teams abroad which had suffered heavy defeats.

He stressed he was more than happy to talk to other coaches about getting involved and disclosed that Gooden was already working with the under-20 team.

He even extended an invitation to Castle to visit him at the BFA's Cedar Avenue headquarters, where they could "have a blackboard session, talk about football and see who comes out on top''.

Best thundered: "Who's Jack Castle? What has he ever done with PHC? He used to take national teams away and they'd get beaten seven or eight nil. At least we're getting better defensively now.

"I'm getting kids at international level who I have to take over the basics and he was at PHC for many years so he's not taught them properly.

"The coaches who are now are in place are here because they offered their services. Robert Calderon did a good job when Gary Darrell was in charge.'' He added: "As far as I'm concerned, if he wants to get nasty he has picked on the right person because I'll slaughter him. When you've played in front of 100,000 people, one idiot can't hurt you.

"My feeling is that before you criticise, offer your services.'' Castle's criticisms come following a rough week on the international stage for Bermuda. The under-17 team finished bottom in the International Youth Tournament, despite some encouraging performances, while the under-21 team failed to qualify for the CAC Games after having four goals disallowed in their decider against St. Kitts.

But Best, buoyed by news last week that the BFA were setting in motion a plan to bring monthly international competition to the Island, said: "The BFA put me in a position to do a job. Football was at rock bottom and I have got to move it forward. We're really starting from scratch and it may take six or eight years. Because of money we can't do all the things we want to do.

"But this is the downfall of people in Bermuda. They're all too ready to criticise. For a country that's so small they all think they've got the answer.

"Kenny Thompson, at least, is always looking for more knowledge. But the trouble with a lot of people in Bermuda is that they don't want to share their knowledge.'' Contacted to enlarge on his views, Castle seemed to back down slightly on his call for Best to go. "I have no problem with Clyde Best as national coach but I personally don't think he is equipped to be technical director,'' he said.

"He needs to look deeper into the coaching fraternity. There are many capable people.'' JACK CASTLE -- questioned BFA technical director Clyde Best's credentials.