Andrew Bascome has thrown his hat into the ring as a contender for the national soccer coach vacancy.

Bascome declared his intention to apply for the job after his Dandy Town side went top of the Premier Division with a 3-0 hammering of champions PHC at St.

John's Field on Sunday.

His decision means that national under-17 team coach Kenny Thompson, widely considered to be favourite for the post, will now face stiff competition from one of the most highly respected coaches in the domestic game.

As of yesterday, the BFA had still not advertised the job, but the ad is expected to appear within days.

Asked if he would apply, Bascome said: "Yes, I will definitely apply, because football's been my life.

"I've been at the club level for about 15 years coaching. I think I need to apply, just to see where I stand at the next level. For me, the job would be challenging and humbling, I'm sure.

"Right now, I would say Dandy Town have given me back my appetite for football and my focus now is with them.'' Bascome signed for Dandy Town during the summer in what was reported to be a three-year deal.

His team came through a sticky patch during the early weeks of the season, but now their football is starting to reflect Bascome's penchant for short, sharp passing.

The result has been attractive football from a free-scoring team, impressive victories in recent weeks over the likes of North Village and PHC, top spot in the Premier Division with seven matches remaining and many happy fans at St.

John's Field.

Bascome, brother of Harrisburg Heat professional David Bascome, was widely regarded as the country's most skilful player when he played in midfield for the national team.

But a devastating knee injury at the age of 22 curtailed his playing career.

The upside was it gave him an early start in coaching.

Bascome had stints at Village, Boulevard, St. David's and Somerset before Town, and his services have occasionally been used in the national programme as well.

In addition, Bascome said he had been a student of "every course the BFA had put on since 1980''. And he has also travelled to Brazil to study the game there, an experience he described as "like being in football heaven''.

Bascome felt the high level of natural talent on the Island could be turned into a team capable of making a big impact at least at regional level.

To achieve that, he felt the national programme needed a solid structure throughout the age groups, using top coaches, with incentives for senior players.

"For me, football was everything and I gave up a lot of time for it. But it's difficult for players to go to those extremes,'' said the coach.

"You've got to dangle the carrot and have a structure which allows players to give up a lot of their time to play. If we do that, they can deliver.

"I believe Bermuda should be capable of at least making the finals of the Caribbean tournament and maybe we can surprise teams like Jamaica and give a good account of ourselves.'' Bascome believes the national set-up would be best served by a body of coaches and proposed a camp to get together all national team hopefuls.

"Maybe at the outset we could have an open camp to bring in all the players in Bermuda and all the coaches and scrutinise them over two or three weeks,'' he said.

"Instead of picking your team from your office, then you are making every player feel welcome and there is good, healthy competition.

"The national team is important, because it can give us direction and it can identify our football.

"Realistically, this group of players are not going to qualify for the finals of the World Cup -- they are going to win and lose.

"What's important is that if they keep their discipline and their structure, they can give us football we can identify with.

"I would prefer the South American game for Bermuda, because we are small. If you put us against the Americans and the English, they tend to be bigger guys and so if you take the aerial route against them, it really wouldn't be wise.

"We need to work in numbers, outnumber them in certain areas of the field and use our quicker feet.

"I mean, you can't eliminate the high ball, but I think we need to have a more methodical approach.

"The emphasis has to be on playing it to feet and then allow the guys to use their ability to come out of tight situations, because big guys have a disadvantage too -- they don't turn so well.'' Andrew Bascome: believes his South American-based style of play could turn around the national team's fortunes.