The Tigers have no shortage of interest in this week’s World Cup play-offs
Amir Hadziahmetovic has a huge week of international football ahead of him(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
Amir Hadziahmetovic says there has been plenty of good-natured banter within the Hull City dressing room as four players prepare for huge World Cup play-offs this week.
Hadziahmetovic and his Bosnia and Herzegovina side are in Cardiff for a play-off semi-final against Lewis Koumas and Wales on Thursday night, while Paddy McNair is away in Bergamo for Northern Ireland’s showdown with Italy on the same night.
Either Hadziahmetovic or Koumas will face McNair in next week’s final, should Michael O’Neil’s outfit cause a surprise against the Azzurri on Thursday.
There’s also the small matter of John Egan’s World Cup hopes with the Republic of Ireland against Czechia in Prague, though the City defender is on the other side of the draw and won’t come up against any members of the dressing room.
“We’re playing the playoffs, first game against Wales in Cardiff, so that will be a tough game,” the Tigers midfielder told Hull Live. “Let’s say the chances are fifty-fifty, so afterwards, whoever wins the game plays against Italy or Northern Ireland.
“The chances, as I say, are fifty-fifty for the first game, and then we’ll see. It will be a really tough game in Cardiff, in front of the home crowd. I’ve heard that they are really, really good, so I’m looking forward to playing this game.
“We’ve done a really great qualifying campaign, so we have a chance now to show our quality in the play-offs. Hopefully, we’ll get a spot in the World Cup.
“We are joking all the time about the game (at City), joking about who will be in the final, who will maybe play against Paddy (McNair). You never know. It’s a really big game for two big nations, so, yeah, it will be a fun game.”
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Bosnia and Herzegovina have only ever qualified for one World Cup, and that came 12 years ago in Brazil, but there’s growing hope that Sergej Barbarez’s men, led by Edin Dzeko, can make a nation proud and qualify for this summer’s tournament.
“We have a really young, young team and we had really good qualifiers, so I think the people in Bosnia are thinking that we can do some big things with the young team, if not this time, the next big tournament,” he continued. “Bosnia has only been to one big tournament in Brazil 2014, so I think it would be a very, very big thing to qualify for the World Cup.
“Maybe the biggest success in most of the players’ careers, probably. All the time, I say I’m so proud to play for the Bosnian national team.
“We have had some big, big names there, some big players, and it’s always a pleasure to be there and play for the national team.
“After my injury, I didn’t get called up for two years, so in November I got my first call and now a second one. I’m very happy with how everything has been improving, since my injury and everything.”
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