Ola Aina could be forgiven for counting down the days to what could be the biggest summer of his life. In just over 10 weeks Nigeria will kick-off their World Cup campaign against Croatia in the Russian city of Kaliningrad and Hull City’s on-loan defender is on course to be there.
Distractions come no bigger. Iceland and Argentina provide Nigeria’s other opposition in Group D and just for good measure there is also a warm-up friendly to come at Wembley against England, the country of Aina’s birth and who he represented from under-16s to U-20s.
Aina has every reason to look beyond the end of his season-long loan from Chelsea and towards a glamorous June with the Super Eagles but the right-back is refusing to shift his focus with seven games of the Championship season left to play.
City remain in relegation trouble and Aina says he cannot start dreaming of the World Cup until safety is secured.
“Personally I just take things step by step and focus in on the job I have to do here game by game,” said Aina, who won his fourth Nigeria cap during the international break in their 2-0 defeat to Serbia.
“I’m just taking it steady. I’m not thinking about it all the time. It could be a big few months ahead but it’s down to me to perform.
“Hopefully I make the squad that goes to the World Cup but first and foremost it’s to finish the season strong here and make sure we keep this great club up.”
