Andrew Bascome insists he will keep a tighter leash on his players after the misbehaviour of some of his squad during last year’s World Cup qualifying campaign.

Bascome said he felt disrespected and let down after it emerged that some of Bermuda’s players had entertained women in their hotel rooms on the eve of their second-leg match at home to Guatemala in June.

The Bermuda head coach left the team hotel in disgust on the morning of the game, later rejoining the squad at the National Stadium ahead of their 1-0 defeat in the second-round qualifying match.

Speaking publicly about the incident for the first time, Bascome said the “foolish” actions of those players had punctured Bermuda’s feel-good factor after drawing 0-0 in the first leg and contributed to the team’s exit from the tournament.

“It was ridiculous and disrespectful and that’s the way I will always feel about it,” Bascome said. “The behaviour of those players was very disrespectful to the country and to everyone involved [in the Bermuda team].

“I’d spoken about the commitment and values of the players throughout the tournament and we had the whole nation coming out to support us.

“But those players’ foolish actions broke the whole team psyche ... they broke us before the game.”

The postmortem into the island’s troubled preparations was launched by the Bermuda Football Association in the wake of the team’s defeat to Guatemala.

It also came to light that besides the issues with player conduct, the hotel the team checked into on return from Guatemala two days prior to the second leg did not have sufficient space to accommodate the squad.

Extra beds had to be placed in two rooms, while some of the coaches, including Bascome, had to give up their rooms for players.

“I think the mistake I made was to think the players would be responsible,” Bascome said. “I’ve learned from that, trust me. To be responsible is to do what you have to do when no one is supervising you.”

Bascome and his 18-man squad left for St Kitts and Nevis yesterday where they will play friendlies against the Caribbean island’s under-20 team today and senior team on Sunday.

He said the players will be afforded far less free time than previously and had planned twice-daily training sessions in preparation for next month’s Caribbean Cup first-round qualifiers against Cuba and French Guiana.

“We will be training twice a day and everything will be focused on our football philosophy, conduct and player responsibility,” Bascome added.

“There won’t be as much free time now. This is a training trip and the players will have to make sure they have a training mentality — this is not a vacation.”

Although the travelling party does not include English-based professionals Nahki Wells, Rai Simons, Reggie Lambe and Dale Eve, Bascome said he is confident in the ability of his squad but admits to having concerns over some of the players’ mental approach to the game. “I know we have the talent but I sometimes question whether we have the same desire as the kids we will be up against who don’t have as much,” said Bascome, who missed some of the team’s recent training sessions because his daughter was seriously injured in a car accident.

“The mental side of things is a big issue for us. Too often in Bermuda we look for excuses. I’ve heard some players say stuff like ‘what’s Bermuda done for me?’, but what does that even mean?

“When I was younger I used to say things like that but now I realise it’s just an excuse. I certainly won’t be making excuses for my team.”

St Kitts, who are 40 places above Bermuda in the Fifa world rankings in 118th position, have been drawn in group one of the Caribbean Cup first-round qualifiers against Antigua and Aruba.