Andy Robertson has branded FIFA’s plan to give Scotland players less than two weeks off at the end of the season as "unacceptable".
The national skipper insists the governing body must allow war-torn Ukraine all the time they need to decide when is best to play us in the World Cup play-offs.
But Robertson is adamant player welfare has to be taken into account and other fixtures must be dropped to make way for the World Cup clash whenever Ukraine can play.
Steve Clarke ’s men could be forced into SIX competitive fixtures at the end of a long, hard season in June.
The Scots are pencilled in for four Nations League matches in June but if Ukraine are in a position to take part in the play-off, Robbo’s team would have that one and possibly a ‘final’ against Wales.
The Liverpool full-back is adamant the plight of the Ukrainian people is the absolute priority and is happy for the match to take place only when their players are ready to kick a ball again.
Robertson, who has recovered from Covid and will win his 56th cap in Austria on Tuesday, said: “It was 100 per cent the right decision to call it off in March. It was impossible to ask Ukraine to play the game.
“Life is more important than football and what’s happening over there is tough to watch from afar.
“I can’t imagine what they’re going through.
“From a football point of view then it has to be on Ukraine’s terms. It’s about when they can play and when they are in a position to play the game.
“From a football point of view, I don’t think it’s fair to ask players to play six games in June when our summer break is already being cut short because of the World Cup during the season.
“A lot has been said about player welfare over the last couple of years and I hope that’s at the front of it.
“All the players are going to have to go through it and to ask players to have only two weeks off in a whole year is unacceptable for me.
“I hope that from a footballing point of view the decision about the games in the summer is taken wisely.
“And whenever Ukraine can play the game then we have to play it, whether that’s September or October or whenever it has to be.
“It has to be on their terms and I think other games can make way for the most important ones.”
Robertson accepts that playing international matches in June is now commonplace but his concerns about fatigue and injury caused by overplaying remains.
He added: “I remember being involved with Scotland where there was one game arranged in June and it was like ‘do we play football in June?’ Everyone was a bit uncertain.
“Now we have four. And major tournaments are in June and July and we accept that. The Nations League is obviously important and I don’t know how we managed to fit it all in the calendar year before when there were no games in June.
“Four games is a lot after an intense season for everyone. But the games have to be played and I think four has to be the maximum.
“We are already going to June 14, - that’s well into June.
“And I think all the boys are back at the latest by the start of July. The Scottish-based boys are back well before that, the Championship boys are back well before then.
“You are asking boys to have eight or nine days’ holiday which I don’t think is fair. That’s why I hope it doesn’t go further than June 14 and that football and player welfare is at the forefront of the decision to be made around June.
“Don’t get me wrong, I hope the Ukraine game is in June because it will mean the world and Ukraine are in a better place. I definitely want that game going ahead in June with them being in a position to do so. We want to play it and we want to know our fate in the World Cup.
“But I think maybe other games could be moved to other international breaks to fit that in.
“Look, let’s hope a decision is made soon so everyone knows what’s happening and what’s going on and hopefully that’s made in the next couple of weeks and we will deal with whatever decision is made.
“We’ve got better scenarios and worse scenarios but let’s hope a decision is made and once it is we will deal with it either way.”
