Why Bermuda needed England C defeat

If anyone doubted the strength of English non-league football, Tuesday night’s match will have corrected that.

And that was only the youngsters, by the way.

The Bermuda players certainly left it all out on the pitch but there were countless bowed heads at the final whistle.

The scoreline didn’t lie — and they knew they’d been taught a lesson in tactical discipline and concentration.

But the game should not trigger suffocating negativity. Bermuda football needs games like this.

Post-match, home players were talking about how they needed to “be more organised”, “make less errors” and “take their chances”.

In short: get more professional.

The likes of Zico Lewis and Roger Lee now know where they need to be if they want to leave the island and attempt to forge a career overseas, whether that be in the UK, the US or elsewhere.

Rather than feel satisfied with turning on the style at BAA at the weekend, these players now know, if they didn’t already, the benchmark must be set a few levels higher if they have genuine ambitions of furthering their career.

National coach Andrew Bascome spoke of the tendency of players on the island to get a ‘big head’ because of the lack of competition.

Well, Tuesday night would have shrunk a few, for sure. And that’s a positive — because the guys with the right intelligence, ability and desire will have taken on board how much fitter, stronger and ruthless the England C lads were, many of whom are fighting their way back up the leagues after youth careers at top clubs. Antoni Sarcevic, for example, who scored the first goal, started his career at Man City.

So while the defeat was heavy and the lessons brutal, this should just be the start — for Bermuda’s players and the BFA.

With the Hogges not in action this season and their future uncertain, administrators must do all they can to give the national team more opportunities like Tuesday. Then watch our players blossom.