football power.

Best, who is due back this morning with the national squad after a tough Shell Caribbean Cup campaign in the Cayman Islands, is to troll overseas leagues -- Jamaica-style -- in the attempt to unearth good players with Bermudian status.

The Island's soccer technical director said: "Kyle (Lightbourne) has told me there's a guy at Stoke (of the English Second Division) with a Bermudian father, so I might have to look at him.'' "If you want to play at the highest level you have to have the best players.'' The squad left Bermuda eight days ago with great optimism and those hopes were heightened after a fine comeback victory against Major League Soccer side Miami Fusion and after the team watched the opening game in the tournament between Cuba and the Cayman Islands.

But optimism soon turned to despair as Bermuda fell first to defeat against Cuba on Friday and followed that up with a 2-0 loss to the host side on Sunday night. That victory enabled the Caymans to qualify for the second round of the tournament in Jamaica on goal difference.

Crucial from Bermuda's point of view was the sending off in the game against Cuba of midfielder Dennis Robinson for two bookable offences. But Best disclosed yesterday that Robinson was not dismissed for something he said to the referee as was first thought and he stuck up for the fiery Robinson, although admitting the incident left his side facing an uphill battle.

"From speaking to Dennis, he said it wasn't for something he said. He told me the referee sent him off for having a high elbow but if you look at the game last night (Sunday) there were elbows all over the place. I'm certainly not going to blame him for the defeat,'' Best said.

Best stressed he wasn't using the officiating as an excuse for the losses but he said FIFA official Peter Prendergast's displays were among the worst he had seen and questioned the policy of having one referee work all three games.

"I thought he got worse as the tournament went on,'' said Best. "He called Kyle every time for using his arms but that's the way you're taught in England to shield the ball.'' He also defended the formation used by his side for both games.

"I like 3-5-2 because most teams play with two forwards and three people, if they are smart enough, should be able to hold them. It also gives you an advantage in midfield.'' A number of players were stiff and sore yesterday after playing three hard games in six days. "I know they're used to that at home but those games are played at a slower place,'' said Best. "The boys did the best they could but Miami took a lot out of them and the sharpness was gone.'' Meanwhile, David Bascome, who was stretchered off during Sunday's game, parted company with the rest of the squad in Miami yesterday, bound for Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he lives. X-rays on his injured knee were negative but he said he suspected ligament damage. He was to see a surgeon with his club today.