The former Rangers skipper believes a system needs to be worked out that incorporates both players but for the 54-times capped Scotland, the Liverpool defender just edges it.

Souness, commenting on Scotland’s progress under Alex McLeish, said: “I’d like to think things are going in the right direction, but I’m not sure yet. It’s a difficult job Alex has got.”

The former Scotland captain, however, believes McLeish made the right decision in hand the skipper’s armband to Robertson.

Kieran Tierney captained Scotland against the Netherlands but Andy Robertson is the right choice for skipper, according to Graeme Souness. Picture: SNS Group

He continued: “Robertson is a good choice as captain. I like him. Playing for a big club, has to play he goes out and crosses the white line because of the pressures of playing for Liverpool, so I would think he’s the right one.

• READ MORE - Kieran Tierney makes his Scotland position clear

“I don’t know the boy but the fact he can cope with the pressures of Liverpool suggests he’s got good character.” Never shy of speaking his mind, Souness also waded into the Robertson / Tierney debate, and addressed McLeish’s task of adopting a system that accommodates both players.

Souness added: “Robertson’s a better player than Kieran Tierney. Maybe you try and come up with a system where they swap all the time on the left-hand side – one goes forward, one sits.  “It’s a bit like the [Paul] Scholes, [Frank] Lampard and [Steven] Gerrard argument for England – get your best players into the eleven and come up with a system that works for them.”

Robertson and Tierney both played in Scotland’s UEFA Nations League opener, with the Celtic left back lining up in a three-man defence and Robertson deployed on the left of a five-man midfield.

• Graeme Souness was speaking exclusively to Paddy Power at their Museum of Mischief, celebrating the brand’s 30th birthday. To read more, visit news.paddypower.com

Andy Robertson '˜better than Celtic's Kieran Tierney' says ex-Scotland captain