Captain ready to do country proud on the biggest stage
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Fans of Tottenham Hotspur know Andy Robertson’s commitment is not in any doubt for as long as wears the lilywhite jersey.
He filmed a video, posted on his social media channels earlier this month, telling them as much. The fact he did so from America, where he was already preparing for the World Cup with Scotland, was a clue as to where his immediate focus lies.
Spurs, and their magnificent stadium, will have to wait for the time being as Robertson puts everything he has into excelling in a game that he says is “right at the top” when it comes to ranking matches in his career to date.
Putting Scotland’s World Cup opener against Haiti in this category is quite a claim when you consider Robertson has played in a winning Champions League side and has also already led his country into a major finals, Scotland’s first at the time for 23 years. The World Cup, though, is something else. Manager Steve Clarke illustrated the sheer scale of the operation when he explained it took him “20 minutes” just to get through security at the Boston Stadium on Friday as Scotland went through their paces for the last time before the real action begins.
Things have most definitely ratcheted up. Even Robertson, who joined Spurs on a free transfer after nine outstanding years at Liverpool, is alert to the sense that this is a different level. He was genuinely taken aback when he was informed that it had just been announced that East Renfrewshire Council, the local authority in the area where he grew up, was changing its name to East Robbo-shire council for the duration of the tournament.
“I hope you can tell by my face that I didn't know this had happened,” he said, during a pre-match press conference. “It’s proper breaking news!”
All the Scotland players, he reckoned, are feeling the pull of home as they prepare to shoulder the hopes and dreams of millions of Scots. “Where I was brought up is a huge part of my life,” he said. “It’s where I learned how to play football and learned a lot about life as well. There’s a lot of that in terms of how the lads are feeling – where they’re from, things like that.
“It’s a huge credit to the squad that’s this is the kind of situation we've been able to create back home. There are so many people from that area who mean a lot to me. Teachers and other people sending good wishes, messages from kids in school playgrounds shouting our names and singing songs. I never had that as a kid, same as an awful lot of people, because it’s been far too long since we were able to be on the biggest stage.
“The excitement back home is one of the things that brings the biggest smile to our faces. It feels like we’ve been able to connect a country, to get our country excited. It’s up to us to try and keep it that way.”
‘A dream come true for all of us’
Robertson was just four-years-old when Scotland last qualified. He is now preparing to displace Colin Hendry as the last man to lead Scotland out at a World Cup.
“I've been very fortunate to play in big games, win trophies, play at the biggest club in the world,” he said. “But for me, playing for your country is that step above. And to do it at a World Cup is just a dream come true for all of us. It's been something we've been working so hard towards as a country for the last 28 years to make it happen.
“I'm just so proud and happy that this group of lads and this squad were the ones to be able to do it. Now, we're on the eve of the game and the excitement's obviously building from our fans. But the excitement's definitely building in terms of the squad as well.”
He is delighted to have his future sorted before the tournament. When it became clear he would be departing Liverpool, Robertson told his representatives that on no account was the issue of finding a new club to impinge on the World Cup. He needed it done and dusted before then. He was linked with a variety of clubs, including Celtic. But he opted for Spurs, the side he nearly joined in January.
“It was one thing I wanted,” he said. “I didn’t want anything overhanging me at the World Cup. In terms of my representatives and things like that, that was the one thing I was very clear on once it was well known I was leaving Liverpool. I wanted my future sorted ASAP. I just didn’t want anything overhanging me.
“I am very happy that has been resolved and I’m very happy going to Tottenham,” he added. “I haven’t given it too much thought this week and I think that’s understandable. I am fully focused on Scotland and whenever this tournament ends for us I will have a switch-off and then I will be fully into my new chapter and my new challenge.”
“We don’t want any regrets,” he added. “When I look back at the last two Euros, you know potentially you look at certain games with regret. Switzerland in 2024 could have gone either way. When we drew England away, we just had to deal with that.
“But you look back at other games and ask if you could have got over the line. Obviously the Hungary game is one that we all look back on and ask if we could have created more, maybe been a bit more clinical. You never want to leave a tournament with regrets. That never changes. We’ve done really well in qualifying campaigns under this manager. Now we need to take it to the tournament itself.”