Ex-international, Tajudeen Ajide, has outlined the importance of the international friendly match between Nigeria’s Super Eagles and their Scottish counterparts as a very crucial one.
According to him, the friendly will go a long way to determine how prepared the Super Eagles are for the World Cup billed for Brazil next month.
The match is billed for the Craven Cottage Stadium, London, the home ground of Fulham FC, on Wednesday, May 28.
“It comes 15 days to the commencement of the World Cup, and will be a good avenue to really assess the team and the players that will finally make the trip to Brazil.
“There is no doubt that it will serve as a litmus test for the players already invited to camp from where the final 23 will be picked.
“We are no longer talking about the 30-man provisional list, but the final 23-man squad that will be selected for the World Cup. The game will determine the players that will make the final 23-man squad for the Mundial.
“The coaches should also use the match to assess the players’ fitness, response to tactical and technical situations, among other issues,” he said.
Ajide agreed that the match will be a good one for the team, but stressed that it will be tough because the teams will want to outwit each other because they know that going to Brazil will depend on their performances and subsequent friendly matches.
He, however, warned that it should not be a do-or-die match.
“It should not be a matter of winning at all costs or how many goals we can score, but about team cohesion, team work, reflexes of the players and mental ability to approach competitions,” he said.
The former national football player urged Coach Stephen Keshi and his assistants to explore all areas in ensuring that the best materials are used for the match and the World Cup.
Meanwhile, the 30 players invited to camp and their coaches are expected to arrive London today for the match and train tomorrow and Tuesday before the match on Wednesday.
Nigeria is grouped alongside Iran, Bosnia and Herzegovina and former champions, Argentina, in Group F.
The team plays its first group match against Iran on Monday, June 16, at Arena da Baixada, Curitiba, and plays the second match against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Saturday, June 21, at Arena Pantanal, Cuiaba.
The team’s last group match will be against Argentina on Wednesday, June 25, at Estadio Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre.
The World Cup holds between June 12 and July 13.