Bermuda Hogges' co-owner Paul Scope has denied that John Barry Nusum's decision to leave the team and join USL rivals Crystal Palace this season will trigger a mass exodus of the club's top talent.

After Nusum's departure there had been speculation that Palace were interested in several other Hogges' players, something Scope said wasn't true.

According to the Hogges' chief, while the two clubs have a 'special relationship' that was instrumental in securing the move, Palace only wanted 'John and John alone at this stage'.

And far from viewing the loss of Nussum as a setback, it is a move that should be celebrated with Scope hoping that more Bermuda players follow in the striker's path in the future. To help make that possible Scope is now seeking to arrange a link-up between the club and teams in Europe.

"The Hogges are like a development team, we are trying to get players away," said Scope.

"It was suggested that this was going to be the first of many, we were going to have a mass exodus. Our understanding with Crystal Palace is that they wanted John, and John alone at this stage.

"If they are interested in others we'll talk to them about it, but there certainly isn't going to be any mass exodus, and the reality of the situation is that the vast majority of our players would need a bigger offer, from a bigger club, if they are going to give up their day jobs to go."

Not that Scope wouldn't like to see a few of players heading off for bigger and better things. In the long run he sees it as the Hogges' job to develop the players and in turn improve football in Bermuda as a whole.

"We might have a handful of players like Sammy DeGraff, Stevie Astwood, Damon Ming that want to go away, so they are always ready to go at a moment's notice, and we don't want to keep them at the Hogges.

"When we set the Hogges up, our mission statement was is, and always will be, 'to improve football in Bermuda in general, and the national team in particular'. It's all part of our great plan and I think we should be praised and acknowledged for it. This is what we do, I think it needs to be emphasised."

Nusum's move to Palace opens up the possibilty to the striker to further advance his career, with the USL club the American arm of the English Championship side.

Having a connection with a club in Europe is something the Hogges themselves are actively pursuing with Scope due to meet with several Scottish clubs when he travels to the UK next month.

"We're still looking outwards, and we are still looking to get our players away. We are actually talking to a couple of Scottish clubs right now. We think the Scottish leagues offer an opportunity for Bermuda players to get to. It's still a good level of professionalism but it's not as difficult as England or some of the other elite leagues in Europe that are looking for world class players.

"I'm in the UK next month, and have a couple of meetings in Scotland to discuss a link-up. But it's more that they would take our players on trial, or loan, in the winter, and if they want to link up with us back here, then fine. It makes sense."