The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Slovakian players told to enjoy themselves
Kozak wants side to leave Hampden having ended Scottish World Cup dream
Slovakia boss Jan Kozak has told his players to savour every minute of their crucial showdown with Scotland.
Victory at Hampden for the visitors will all-but confirm Kozak’s men as Group F runners-up and leave the hosts’ World Cup dreams in tatters.
With so much at stake, Kozak has urged his players to put on a display they will be able to remember with pride.
“Tomorrow will really be a showdown,” he said. “We want to show what we’re capable of.
“Thank God we have this type of game tomorrow despite having had a very poor start to the qualifying campaign.
“These are the games you need to be excited about. Perhaps you have played 200 or 300 games in the league over your career which you don’t remember.
“But this is the kind of game you will remember and whether they are good memories or bad memories depends on your performance.”
The Slovakia manager knows his side will face a much stronger line-up than the Scotland team they swept aside 3-0 in Trnava a year ago.
Yet he insists he will still send his side out to win the game rather than sitting back looking for a point which might also be good enough to book a play-off spot if they beat Malta in their final match on Sunday.
He said: “The baggage thing wasn’t an issue. We’re professionals and there’s worse things in life.
“It’s always good to play teams like Scotland as football here is like a religion.
“In the last game against them, we won 3-0 after a very good performance but since then the Scotland coach has changed the philosophy. He’s built the team around the Celtic players and complements them with players in good form.
“They have good momentum now. They’ve improved their performances and will be keen.
“But I think we can say the same about our team. That’s why we’re really looking forward to the game.
“If you have followed us recently, you’ll have seen that we try to impose our play on the game without any consideration for the opponent. That proves we have matured and improved our quality.”
Napoli playmaker Marek Hamsik has declared himself fit for the Glasgow clash and will collect his 100th cap when he runs out at Hampden.
He said: “Scotland has been improving from game to game. They have the home advantage and will want to make the most of it.
“I think we have what it takes to get a good result.”