Antigua this month and so was not asked to play in them, Bermuda Football Association said yesterday.

But Stoke striker Kyle Lightbourne and all the other foreign-based players in the World Cup squad will be considered for the home-and-away second-round qualifier.

BFA president Neville Tyrrell and general secretary David Sabir said Manchester City's Goater had requested not be included and was therefore being disregarded for the two Antigua games.

But the BFA said no similar decision had been made about any other players to date -- such as David Bascome and Meshach Wade.

Senior national team coach Robert Calderon suggested in Saturday's Royal Gazette that "Bermuda were playing Russian roulette with their World Cup chances'' by not at least requesting the return of the England-based pros.

But the BFA officials said neither they nor "Bermuda'' should be blamed for the absence of the player. Clyde Best, the former technical director kept on by the BFA to work with the national squads, felt it was not sensible to bring in somebody whose heart wasn't solely in representing his country -- and that was the telling factor in the BFA's decision.

"Based on what has been publicly said about the Goater matter I feel that it is necessary for us to let everybody realise that the decision not to bring the player home was based on the reaction that we got from the coaches,'' said Tyrrell.

"I was really surprised by some things that were said on the weekend but it was a decision that the executive committee had to make, but only after consulting the coaches. I really don't want people to get the impression that we make these sort of decisions without consulting the people who are directly involved, that's so far from reality.'' General secretary David Sabir was also concerned about "negativity'' being circulated in the community, some of which faulted the BFA for being responsible for denying the public the privilege of seeing both Goater and Lightbourne in action before home fans.

Sabir indicated this was not the case and also confirmed that Goater was the lone player involved. And the decision made not to insist on him coming was based on his personal preference to stay with City.

"Mr. Best, while in my presence, had a telephone call with Mr. Goater, backed up with an earlier letter to the BFA, indicated that his preference was not to be involved in the Antigua series based on his circumstances at his club,'' said Sabir.

"It was purely based on these developments that Mr. Best advised that he would not request Mr. Goater's involvement at this time. That position was then communicated to the BFA president Mr. Tyrrell who stated that if that is the coach's wishes, then so be it.

"If a player asks to be excused for whatever reasons then, in the view of Mr.

Best, if the player doesn't really want to be brought back then he certainly wasn't going to insist that he return.'' Both Tyrrell and Sabir expressed their joy with the the under-15 national team's 4-0 win against the USVI on Sunday, regarding it as further proof of the wealth of talented players involved in the national programme.

"The BFA is very happy with the team and its coaching staff. I believe that they are doing a very good job,'' said Tyrrell.

Tonight's second FA Cup semi-final has been put back two weeks, the Bermuda Football Association announced yesterday.

North Village must now wait until Wednesday, April 19 to see who their opponents in the April 30 final will be, after the Devonshire Colts-Southampton Rangers tie was postponed.

And with Somerset closing their ground for cricket, the match in two weeks' time will now be held at BAA Field.

Colts are the defending FA Cup champions and will be bidding for a third straight appearance in the final while Rangers are still coming to grips with the disappointment of relegation after losing to Somerset on Sunday.

The Crystal Palace semi-final, which was also scheduled for tonight, will now take place on Sunday, April 16 at BAA Field at 1.00 p.m. That match is between North Village and Southampton Rangers, with the winners advancing to meet Boulevard in the final.