Albion’s Chris Brunt has hit out at UEFA for making Northern Ireland play in a friendly against Wales - after both were knocked out of the World Cup qualifiers last week.

Michael O’Neill’s side travel to Cardiff to face Wales on Tuesday evening - having been beaten 2-0 in Italy, a result that saw their World Cup hopes come to an end.

In Cardiff, Wales were beaten on penalties against Bosnia.

Former Albion skipper Brunt, who is the club’s loans manager, played 65 times for Northern Ireland.

And he has spoken out about the decision go ahead with a ‘dead rubber’ friendly - amid an already busy calendar.

He told the BBC: “For the supporters, it's a complete dead rubber. It is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard - it's pointless.

"The schedule of games coming up in England - boys play Friday and Monday (when they go back to their clubs) so it's ridiculous. If you look at the previous qualifying games, they're scheduled Thursday, Sunday and Friday, Monday or Saturday, Tuesday, so why come to this stage of the season go Thursday, Tuesday?

"With all due respect to Wales, they're putting on a game in Cardiff that means absolutely nothing. The only good thing that comes out of it is some of the younger lads get a chance to have a bit of exposure at that level."

Brunt believes the only benefit of the game is giving game time to the younger players in the squad.

He added: "All the lads on the pitch the other night, physically and mentally it takes so much out of you and not getting the result we wanted. It's a difficult one for everyone to pick themselves up and go again," he added.

"There are a lot of lads who go around Europe for the qualifying campaign and don't get to play a lot of football, so it's an opportunity to give something back for them who have supported the other lads through qualifying."