12/10/2008 10:25:00 AM Bascome blasts inconsistent decisions With national team coaching job on the line, says he won’t be silent
* Bermuda Sun file photo. Andrew Bascome: If I’ve got six kids playing in a cup final that ends at about ten on Saturday night, then how are they supposed to come and play for me on Sunday at 12:30?
Coach Andrew Bascome feels he is being 'victimised' by elements within the Bermuda Football Association.
Bascome - a contender for the national job - is upset that his Under-18 side were forced to play their Sunday fixture despite the fact that six of his players had been involved in a schools final on Saturday night.
All youth football was cancelled on Saturday because of the schools competition.
But Bascome's request for his game against Somerset to be postponed as well was turned down by the BFA.
Bascome FC lost the game and their unbeaten record, going down 2-1.
Now the veteran coach - who is on the shortlist for the national and youth director jobs - says he is not sure he can work for the BFA.
He insisted he had no problem with president Richard Calderon, who he supported for election.
But he is furious with the Youth Scheduling Committee over this weekend's decision and believes there are still elements within the BFA who are prejudiced against him.
Bascome said one of his players - Quadir Maynard - ended up playing three games in 24 hours.
"That's no way to handle a player. It's no way to handle a coach who you want to work for you.
"All I'm asking for is consistency.
"If I've got six kids playing in a cup final that ends at about ten on Saturday night, [then how are they] supposed to come and play for me on Sunday at 12:30?
"Where was the consideration? Every game in the under-15 and under-13 league was called off - I doubt those teams had as many players involved on Saturday as I did.
"It seems like I'm being punished for producing good players."
Bascome said his players had wanted to skip the schools final so they would be fresh for Sunday's game.
But he encouraged them to play and asked the BFA to reschedule the Under-18 game instead.
He said he felt compelled to speak out about the decision even though he is in the running for a full-time coaching job with the BFA.
"I'm not going to be silenced because of a job. That was wrong.
"How could I work for the BFA when there are people who victimize me like that?
"I've got nothing against Richard and Robert (Calderon) but it feels like this is personal against me.
"There is no consistency from the youth scheduling committee.
"This was a cup final, you leave it all out on the field. Somebody needs to explain this to me. I bet if it was Kenny Thompson's team they wouldn't have had to play."
Earlier this season he said one of his players had been stopped from taking the field because he did not have his BFA registration card. The next week he claims his opponents were allowed to field three players who didn't have their cards.
"I'm starting to take it personally," he added.
He insisted he took nothing away from Somerset for their victory on Sunday and that his complaints were targeted at the BFA Youth Scheduling Committee.
