The Gambia foreign-based players arrived in Banjul on Tuesday evening on SN Brussels flight ahead of their weekend game against Namibia in the opening of the 2012 African Nations Cup qualifier campaign.

A total of 19 professional players from America's Major League Soccer (MLS) and Europe joined defenders Abdou Jammeh and Pa Saikou Kujabi who arrived a week earlier and three local-based players in defender Abdou Njie and goalkeepers Musa Camara and Christopher Allen, making up a 24-man squad.

On Wednesday morning, the team held their first training session at the Independence Stadium in Bakau under the watchful eyes of their Belgian tactician Paul Put, who was later approached by Observer Sports editor to sound his impression about the team after conducting his first training session ahead of Saturday's crucial opener. "I can see that a lot of players are tired because of the marathon journey from their respective leagues to Banjul," he said.

"Players like Sainey and Sanna Nyassi and Kenny Mansally had to travel for almost seventeen hours. And other players had to spend hours at airports before arriving in Banjul and I could see the effects during the morning training session. But I hope that it would be better as we go on."

Asked what does the first game against what many assumed as the easiest in the Scorpions' group of three mean to him, the Belgian said: "The first match is always important.

Winning your first match gives you more confidence and it makes you comfortable in the qualification." 'But I think we didn't have preparations as we have planned. We didn't have such opportunities to camp together and also the chance for me to properly monitor my players. So these are things you have to do in a few days to get the team in better shape and these are what I am doing in the next few days.'

There has been news of mounting problems at the Namibia camp ahead of the September 4 clash. And when asked whether the player withdrawals and travel constraints faced by the Brave Warriors will not benefit the Gambia, the Belgian coach was more careful in his response.

"It can be an advantage for us but on the other hand I know they have been having training camp for some days now. Some of their players may have withdrawn but from what I saw in their [friendly] games against Angola and Congo, I can say they have been preparing better than the Gambia," said Paul Put.

He added: "But we don't go for excuses. Instead we are going to try and get good result against Namibia. Though we have to respect them because I know they are well prepared." Despite the Belgian's warning against any complacency from the home team, many fans believe the depleted Namibian side cannot stop the ambitious Scorpions.

"This is our first game and it's a home game against the easiest team in our group so we must go for the maximum points if we are to qualify from our group," said Lamin Sanyang, a football fan from Bakau.