‘The only top player on the pitch will be Hamsik … he is going to be very important for Slovakia’

Lubomir Moravcik believes that the play-off slot in Group F could come down to a shootout between Leigh Griffiths and Marek Hamsik on Thursday evening, writes Ewing Grahame. Hamsik, pictured, the Napoli playmaker who is closing in on 500 appearances for the Serie A club, has been a star for club and country for more than a decade, creating and scoring goals on a regular basis and Moravcik claims that the 30-year-old will be the outstanding player at Hampden.

“I hope he is a key player for us. There’s only going to be one top European player on the pitch and that is Hamsik because he’s playing in Italy. The rest of the players are very good, but the only top player on the pitch will be Hamsik,” said Moravcik. “Hamsík is going to be very important for Slovakia. He can score goals with both feet and he can change games.

“At the start of the season, he was playing only 60 minutes or so for Napoli, which I found very strange, but he scored in his last game and he is in good form.

“He is absolutely the best player in Slovakia. Should Scotland man mark him? Football has changed, it’s more about space now rather than the individual. Even Lionel Messi does not get marked individually now. “It’s more about closing the space, getting two or three players around him, because you don’t want to give away fouls. You don’t want to concede freekicks because they are the

key to many games – just look at Leigh Griffiths against England.

“Slovakia must be very careful up to 25 yards from goal. The way he strikes freekicks, the goalkeeper has no chance.

“I think he has a fantastic left foot. He can score from any position, left foot, right foot, even headers. He is a very clever player and Slovakia must be careful around him. I know he is totally on form.”

Scotland know that winning their last two fixtures would guarantee a play-off place but, with Slovakia finishing at home to Malta, a draw on Thursday would surely suffice for them to claim it instead, while a second successive failed campaign could cost Gordon Strachan his job.

“I don’t know [about that] – but I also have a European [coaching] licence if Gordon loses,” Moravcik added. “I look good in blue – it’s a nice colour for me. Plus Hampden is a lucky ground for me, so who knows?”