first column in a series in which he will discuss a variety of subjects covering all aspects of Bermuda soccer. Clyde's column will appear in The Royal Gazette every Tuesday.

Once again the qualifying rounds for the World Cup are upon us. And although I was not here for the last one, I have been told that all of Bermuda came together to cheer the national team to victory.

Gary Darrell did an excellent job with the team. I can only hope that this World Cup side will do as well as the last one.

I have seen the draw and have had a chance to talk it over with the head coach, Robert Calderon. We both feel it is a good draw for Bermuda and we believe if things are planned properly we can go a long way.

I have said it before, and I will continue to say this: Everything depends on what preparation we have. This will be the key to success.

We have to remember that we are talking about the biggest sporting event in the world.

For too long, sportsmen of Bermuda have been competing at the highest level but have trained at an amateur level. This has to change if we are to allow our teams to reach their full potential.

Let's all remember that if sports succeed in this country, then the whole country will benefit.

The privilege of playing at a professional level allowed me to realise that planning is very important. By this I mean example games, living together in close quarters, learning how to work as a unit and learning how to keep the right diet. All of this can help our players to become mentally stronger.

The size of the country doesn't count; it is how well you prepare to do battle.

After all, football played between two countries is like going to war. I learned this from Rinus Michels, the great Ajax coach. In essence, we must treat the World Cup the same way.