Vogts teaches squad to accept second best

The Scottish coach, Berti Vogts, insisted yesterday that he is not worried that his fledgling internationals will become mentally scarred by too many defeats, but he conceded that his side has little chance of automatic qualification for the Euro 2004 finals.

The Scots, who have lost three out of three matches under the German, including a 4-1 beating in South Korea on Thursday, are back in action here tomorrow against South Africa, and Vogts expects the losing streak to stretch to four. But he was adamant that his players could only learn what is required at international level against teams that had already reached that standard.

"We are giving players opportunities and I have to watch them in these games," Vogts said. "They are special games and there is a big difference between Scottish and international football."

When he succeeded Craig Brown in March, the former Germany coach had hoped to surprise his homeland by pipping them to first place in a group also containing Iceland, Lithuania and the Faroe Islands. But after three successive defeats against World Cup sides, Vogts now aims merely to hold off the also-rans for a place in the play-offs.

"I think we can qualify," he said. "But we are looking not at the first place. We are looking for the second place."

With Paul Lambert, Barry Ferguson, Dominic Matteo, Craig Burley and Don Hutchison due to return after injury, not all the players Vogts has taken to the Far East have an immediate international future. He will let them know where they stand after the last game on Thursday, against a Hong Kong League XI.