Scotland coach Steve Clarke tok say di friendly match against Curacao on Saturday go give dem idea of wetin to expect from Haiti for World Cup. Di match na di last one for Hampden Park before Scotland travel go United States.
Dem go face Bolivia for New Jersey on 9 June as final warm-up, before Group C matches against Haiti (14 June), Morocco (19 June) and Brazil (24 June). Clarke tok say Curacao and Haiti dey play each other often, so di game go show di level for dat part of di world.
“Wetin we hope for na good competitive game against Curacao and no injuries first and foremost,” Clarke tell BBC Scotland. “We wan win di game and give di crowd good feeling as we leave, and give ourselves good feeling as we leave di country for big challenge.”
Curacao dey managed by former Rangers and Netherlands boss Dick Advocaat. Clarke praise Advocaat, say im career na “absolutely incredible” and “fantastic”. Advocaat once manage Rangers and get good record for Hampden, but Clarke hope to “put a spanner for di works”.
Clarke reveal say preparations for Saturday match don dey “strange” because players dey arrive at different times as domestic season dey wind down. Five more players go join squad on Friday evening. “No injury concerns at di moment, so hopefully everyone fit and available,” im add.
Di starting XI against Haiti go dey different from di one tomorrow. Clarke say dem fit make 11 substitutions and most of dem go dey used. “For my mind, I dey think four or five changes at half-time. We get players wey never play since start of May, dem need minutes on di pitch.”
“E go be squad World Cup, not just team. Every match, 16 players go dey on di pitch at some stage. Di modern game na squad game anyway, but e go even more because of extreme conditions.”
Scotland midfielder Ryan Christie tok say every team wey go World Cup dey there on merit, so dem must be good side. “E go be tough test tomorrow for us. E be good warm-up, exactly wetin we need. E go nice to play in front of fans. Hopefully we all stay injury-free, come out di other side and put good performance together, get win even better go into tournament.”
Curacao coach Dick Advocaat say e special to play Scotland again, dis time with Curacao. “I get memories with Holland national team playing against Scotland, but I no expect to play against Scotland with Curacao. I bin successful here for dis stadium.”
Curacao become di smallest nation by population and area to qualify for World Cup finals when dem top dem group ahead of Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and Bermuda in November. Dem also become di sixth non-sovereign national team to qualify after England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Dutch East Indies.
Curacao only exist for present status since 2011, when di island officially become separate country within Kingdom of Netherlands. Dem compete before as Territory of Curacao from 1924, then Netherlands Antilles from 1954.
Advocaat resign for February citing daughter health concerns, but return after her improvement and amid unhappiness with successor Fred Rutten. At 78, im go be di oldest manager for World Cup finals.
Twelve of Advocaat 26-man squad play for Netherlands, including former Rangers midfielder Juninho Bacuna now for Volendam. Dem dey captained by Leandro Bacuna, former Aston Villa, Reading, Cardiff City and Watford midfielder now for Igdir. Former Livingston full-back Joshua Brenet dey Turkey for Kayserispor.
Midfielder Gervane Kastaneer, now for Terengganu for Malaysia, get loan spell with Heart of Midlothian from Coventry City. Former Swansea City trainee winger Kenji Gorre dey Maccabi Haifa, and former Brighton & Hove Albion forward Jurgen Locadia dey Miami. Three of di squad play for England – winger Sontje Hansen dey Middlesbrough, midfielders Tahith Chong and Ar’jany Martha dey Sheffield United and Rotherham United.
George Hirst, wey get eight full caps and score once, go look to bag im first home goal against Curacao. Di match kick off 1pm for BBC1 Scotland and BBC iPlayer.
