Andy Robertson says run of games can help Scotland squad bond again

National captain weighs in on ‘debate’ over including both himself and Kieran Tierney
Scotland captain Andy Robertson during a training session at Oriam. Picture: Craig Williamson/SNSScotland captain Andy Robertson during a training session at Oriam. Picture: Craig Williamson/SNS
Scotland captain Andy Robertson during a training session at Oriam. Picture: Craig Williamson/SNS

It is 10 months since this Scotland squad were last together. In the next 10 weeks, they will be bonded or broken.

There is no sense that the Uefa Nations League opener against Israel tonight in an empty Hampden is a taster for the Euro 2020 play-off semi-final against the same team, in the same ghostly environs on Thursday 8 October.

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There is no sense that this second Nations League means anything much, frankly. The second edition of the curious competition offers no direct pathway to the 2022 World Cup finals.

In contrast, Scotland are still hoping the inaugural tournament, which started last year, will conclude with them beating Norway or Serbia in a play-off on 12 November to earn a place at Euro 2021.

The current Nations Leagues in the next few weeks do provide the opportunity to forge partnerships and friendships among a group captain Andrew Robertson knows full well have the hand of history on their shoulders.

He said: “It is well documented that it’s now 22 years of not qualifying for a tournament.

“We are the next squad who can try to put that right. We are two games away from doing that and we know it’s a hard task in front of us,” added the Liverpool left-back.

“But it can make this squad. It can give us so much confidence going into the Euros if we can qualify. Whatever happens we will learn from it and that’s important. But it could be a big ten weeks and we play to make it that.

“We could have something like eight games [in that time]. That’s not far off what some lads play at club level in terms of week to week. International football is going to be so important at the start of this season. We have big games and we look forward to them.

“After not seeing each other for a long time we are going to get pretty familiar over the next couple of months. Everyone has had a smile on their face this week and you can tell they are all delighted to be back. Ten months is a long time not to see the lads or the manager, not to train or play games. It’s about making up for lost time – which we’re doing this week. The quality has been high. I’m a firm believer in training the way you play and the lads have been doing that. We need to follow it up.”

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Yet Robertson, 26, recognises the result this evening will be irrelevant to the outcome when their next encounter with Israel rolls around.

He said: “I don’t think it will have any bearing on the game next month. It’s a one-off semi-final we’ll need to prepare for separately.

“We’ve played Israel twice in the Nations League and now again, so we certainly know each other. People are classing it as a warm-up but I don’t think it is. It’s the first game of the Nations League and we want to win it. Whether we win or lose, it won’t have any bearing on the next game. We need to be competitive in this group.”

One source of intrigue this week is how Robertson and Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney are accommodated in the Scotland set-up. A debate that has raged for years – even as injuries have prevented Tierney representing his country for 
18 months – has become “wearing” to Robertson.

“I think we are both fed up hearing the comparisons between us,” he said. “We both get on great, both on and off the pitch.There is no real comparison. Look, we play in the same position, but we play at different clubs and previous managers have found a way to get us both in the team.”

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