FC Bascome Bermuda have attracted interest from several overseas players keen to play for the local team during their inaugural season in second tier of the United Soccer League.

Rules permit teams to include as many as nine overseas players in their 29-man squads, a quota that Andrew Bascome, the FC Bascome Bermuda co-owner and head coach, plans to fill.

“I have youngsters from Brazil, Holland, Germany, Spain and Portugal that have an interest and I am reviewing video footage that these foreign players have sent,” Bascome said.

“We have the ability to select nine of them and I’m pushing to fill those spots with the nine internationals to keep the team’s flavour and we just get the mixture.

“They see this is an opportunity to maybe become a pro or put themselves in the shop window. It’s exciting, but the thing I like about it the most, all of them have a reason as to why they want to be a part [of FC Bascome]. They have ambition and it’s vehicle to help them in their development.”

Bascome plans to have trials for local players once the domestic season ends.

“I want to work in line with the local clubs because they are in the business end of the season; promotion, relegation, trophies,” Bascome said.

“The season ends on March 22 so we will give them a week off and then we will try to get players in on a trial period, so we can have a look and make a final selection.

“I’d like to see local players and anyone interested reach out to me on the website [fcbascomebermuda.com] and state their reasons for wanting to be part of the team. It’s a vehicle and they have to want to be part of the team because they have ambition to be in college or to play professionally.

“It can’t be something where you just come to just play, so it’s important that the player brings a drive and, of course, once they have that intrinsic motivation, it makes our job a lot easier.”

When asked how many local players have expressed an interest, Bascome added: “It’s not been as overwhelming as the youngsters from international side, but we have had at least ten people who have reached out.

“I don’t know if the Bermudians are waiting for us to reach out to them, but the message I’d like to tell them is that if they see this as being an important part of their development, to reach out because that’s going to be half of the battle for us. I don’t want to go and ask somebody if they want to be a part and they say, ‘yes’ just because they were asked.”

FC Bascome Bermuda will compete in the Mid Atlantic Division and host Philadelphia Lone Star FC at the National Stadium in their season opener on May 9, starting from 6.30pm.

“It’s exciting and we must put in a good display,” Bascome said.

“That’s what’s driving my enthusiasm. The team selection is going to be critical and we are going to make sure we are playing a good brand of football.”

The local team will then play their first away game against West Chester United SC on May 17. Evergreen FC, Lehigh Valley United, Ocean City Nor’easters and Reading United AC are the remaining teams in the Mid Atlantic Division.

The USL League Two, formerly the Premier Development League, provides a pathway for players to progress to the professional ranks and boasts member clubs that are owned and operated or in partnership with a professional club.