Scotland v Ukraine: Squad urged to shun Dynamo Kiev and join national training camp early for World Cup qualifier

Dynamo Kiev have thrown a spanner in the works for Ukraine’s World Cup play-off preparations before their trip to Glasgow in June – by refusing to sanction the early release of half the national team’s squad for the crucial Qatar qualifier.

Dynamo Kiev boss Mircea Lucescu wants to keep his players for charity matches during May, spurning Ukraine boss Oleksandr Petrakov’s plans for a month-long preparation before his players head to Hampden to take on Steve Clarke’s side.

The winner of the postponed play-off, moved from March to June 1, will play Wales on June 5 for the right to join England, Iran and USA in the World Cup group stage in November.

With so much riding on the game, Petrakov planned a month-long camp in Slovenia to work with his team, many of whom have been out of action since February with football suspended during the invasion by Russia.

Ukraine's head coach Oleksandr Petrakov planned for a lengthy training camp with many of his players out of competitive action since February. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)

His 25-man squad includes 12 players selected from Kiev who have friendlies with Borussia Dortmund and Dinamo Zagreb scheduled later this month and more planned in May. The decision of Lucescu to keep his players for the challenge matches has angered ex-manager national team Myron Markevich who branded the move “a selfish decision” and urged players to take matters into their own hands.

He added: “This is madness. Why has Lucescu been allowed to decide what is best for our country? He is Romanian.

"I urge Dynamo players to give up everything and go to the national team for the start of the training camp if they really love Ukraine and want to go to the World Cup."

Also included are the likes of Manchester City’s Oleksandr Zinchenko and West Ham's Andriy Yarmolenko who have been in action and will be called in once the English league is completed, but Kiev plan to keep their players until May 23 – a week before the Hampden showdown – for fundraising games.

The rationale for Kiev’s approach was explained by president Igor Surkis who said: “[Lucescu] believes the national team would get more benefit if the players stayed with us and played in matches instead of going to the training camp.

"I don't see any problem. We will release the players in accordance with FIFA's rules.”

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