Head coach of the Scorpions, Italian Luciano Mancini has blamed a lack of concentration on the part of his players for their dismal performance in a 4-1 defeat to Algeria in the second round, second leg qualifiers for the 2013 Nations Cup.

Mancini was speaking in an exclusive interview with the Daily Observer and GRTS Television at his base at the Luigi’s Hotel on Sunday following the team’s arrival from Algiers.

On Monday we reported that the last time that the Scorpions conceded four goals in a single game was in the 1988 Amilcar Cabral Zone II Championship in a 4-0 defeat to Senegal. But the Scorpions again suffered a similar drubbing in 1996 against Liberia in a 1998 World Cup qualifier played in Accra due to the then war in Liberia.

The Italian, whose interview will be aired on GRTS’ Sports Tonight Programme on Wednesday said: “In Algeria we went on with our preparations but in six minutes they scored two goals where the boys missed concentration.

To have concentration and attention at that moment was very important and the match immediately started going the wrong way for us obviously. We believed we had a chance in the match with Saihou Gassama’s goal and the Algerian team came from Mali with a loss. The Algerian players are [on the other hand] top level players.”

Mancini also denied claims that there are conflicts within the squad. “No, I don’t have that impression from the players. Even amongst the players themselves they have a good behaviour as far as I know,” he said.

He then intimated that he had taken important lessons from the defeat. “There have been lot of things and some of them are very important. [The need] to put in the young home-based players like Sulayman Marr who is one of the players that performed very well in the field.

I am very sorry and regret the loss for the supporters because against Morocco they were excellent so I have to apologise strongly to them. I have seen the situation and I believe we can give a satisfactory result to the Gambian people, GFA and the Ministry,” Mancini promised.

He said he will be prepared and be closely attached to the team for their next matches. “The important thing will be to keep on working [with the team] and that I believe is the most important thing.

I will base much of my attention on the local-based players and we will follow the performances of the players at their various clubs. I will personally follow them,” he added.