Andy Robertson: my mad 2020
While the world collapsed in 2020, Andrew Robertson lifted Liverpool’s first top- flight title for three decades, then helped to finally end Scotland’s 22- year wait for a major tournament appearance as captain. And, boy, did he make the most of it – even
After helping Liverpool to a first top- flight title for 30 years, the Scot then hit his Euros jackpot
It’s a strange thing to look back on 2020. There’s so much that I’m sure we would all like to wipe from our memories – a year of isolation and loss for so many. At the same time, I know I’ll reflect on it at some point and think it was the most memorable year for me, football- wise.
Nothing is given to you in sport. You sacrifice a lot, you give it everything each and every day, and you gamble it all on a ‘ maybe’. There are no guarantees. Take Liverpool waiting 30 years for the title. Or Scotland suffering for 22 years without making it to a major tournament.
Those were two causes that we took on. We gambled on that, and now we have something to show for it. Thinking about both brings a huge smile to my face.
When I signed for Liverpool, it was clear in my head that I wanted to be part of the team which finally ended that stretch. It was the goal. Growing up as a proud Scotsman, I also knew how much the nation wanted – needed – to make it back to a European Championship or World Cup after so long away.
There were plenty of sceptics around both achievements – maybe a hangover from past disappointments – so managing to tick off both of them in the same year has been absolutely amazing. It still gives me goosebumps. I feel so privileged to be part of two teams that, on a very simple level, have managed to make a lot of people happy this year, and at least offered a temporary distraction from the madness that’s gone on around us.
With Liverpool, nothing was decided until we were given the Premier League trophy to hold above our heads – but coming into 2020, the squad was full of belief. I think it’s fair to say that we’d been the best team in the country for about six months beforehand, but within the club you could see it in everyone’s eyes. You could see how focused they were to succeed.
We had the prize in our sights and nothing was going to knock us off our stride. I was quietly confident because I looked around and saw some good players with great attitudes who didn’t once get ahead of themselves. You get sick of trotting out the ‘ one game at a time’ cliché, but there’s so much truth in it. I can honestly say that the players and staff never looked beyond the next fixture, and I think you need to be relentless like that. We would take pride in it – the tunnel vision inside Melwood and Anfield. We knew supporters were pretty excited after two or three games and wondering, ‘ Is this going to be the year?’ You want the fans to dream but you also can’t afford to fall into that trap when you’re a player.
When you work as hard as we work and are blessed with so many really gifted players, as well as a fantastic manager and staff, you can
feel unbeatable at times. That gives you a momentum of its own – and that’s how we went into 2020.
The players and supporters will all have their own moments which made them think, ‘ We’re on our way here’, but for me there were a few significant ones. The 4- 0 Boxing Day win at Leicester was crucial. We were coming straight off the back of the Club World Cup in Qatar, and there were many questions about fatigue. Would our level drop? So, it was huge to brush aside a Leicester side that were our closest rivals for the title at that point. It was a big, big statement.
The 2- 0 home win against Manchester United in January comes to mind, too – specifically, when Mo Salah scored our second goal in the 90th minute. That’s when I really started to think it would happen for us. A packed Anfield crowd was singing, ‘ Now you’re gonna believe us’ for those three minutes of added time.
This doesn’t often happen, but I remember being a bit caught up in that while play was raging on. It was spine- tingling. You don’t want to let those people down.
There was a lot of talk outside the club about going undefeated for the full league campaign, but we didn’t think about being ‘ Invincibles’ for the sake of a label. It stands to reason that you want to win every match so you can achieve your targets, but our goal – from that first day of pre- season training – was to bring home the title.
We weren’t focused on remaining unbeaten. We just wanted to be champions. To finish one point short the season before was very hard to take, and we were determined not to go through that again.
The 3- 0 loss to Watford in February, ending our 27- game unbeaten start in the Premier League, was sandwiched between the two legs of our Champions League last- 16 tie against Atletico Madrid. That was a tough one. In the second leg, I missed a sitter, so I’ll never reminisce about it too fondly. Some birthday present that was! To be blunt, our group just doesn’t like losing – especially at Anfield. We did enough to win the second leg and come back, but it wasn’t to be. We might have dwelled on that a bit more, but two days later the whole country went into lockdown, so they had other things on their minds.
It’s scary to think that’s the last time we had supporters at a game. You learn to cope with playing in an empty ground, but I wouldn’t say I was used to it. Football needs to be played in front of the fans. I know from talking to loads of them that it’s easy to feel detached right now. The clubs have been clever with some of the ideas I’ve seen, trying to maintain that sense of community people need, but it’s never going to replace your age- old routine on a matchday. It’s left a massive hole in the lives of so many, and the sooner we get back to running out at a full Anfield, the better.
Even at the height of it all, though, I can’t say I was ever too worried the campaign was going to be declared null and void. Liverpool were good at keeping us up to speed and passing on messages as soon as they heard anything. Every team had their own point of view, but for me, it had to be played out on the pitch and not in the boardroom. I’m sure the clubs who went on good runs late in the season agree. I can’t imagine how we would have felt if it had been for nothing.
When it came to that night in June, however – when Manchester City lost at Chelsea and we were confirmed as champions – the club had everything organised for us on the back of beating Crystal Palace 4- 0 the day before. We had a hotel booked out and a barbecue arranged. I won’t lie: I do have a Chelsea shirt in my possession, and I may have jokingly stuck it on for the boys in our group chat ahead of the game. It didn’t go down well, and I got the bites I was hoping for. It doesn’t quite fit: it’s Billy Gilmour’s, so a bit small for me!
Achievements like that should be enjoyed while surrounded by your family, friends and, of course, the Liverpool supporters – but we made the best of the situation, to put it mildly. Those celebrations went on long into the night, and it was a special occasion with all the lads and staff there to share it. I think after 30 years, you’re probably entitled to make a night of it.
It was Jordan Henderson’s idea to lift the Premier League trophy on the Kop, and it was an inspired one. We didn’t want a podium in the middle of the pitch in front of empty stands. Instead, it was personal to us. The Kop is iconic – it was a way for us to say to our supporters, ‘ This is for you’. Kenny Dalglish handed out the medals – it doesn’t get much better than that.
You always get asked how you’ll build on an achievement like that, without easing up and letting standards drop. I just don’t think it’s in
“IT WAS JORDAN HENDERSON’S IDEA TO LIFT THE TROPHY ON THE KOP. WE COULD SAY, ‘ THIS IS FOR THE FANS’”
our nature to relax, put our feet up and be content with former glories. We demand it of each other. We’re a tight- knit group and we don’t cut corners. It’s high energy every single day – that mentality works for us.
Jurgen Klopp is clearly central to that. It’s simple: when he talks, we listen. He could keep saying the same thing for a year and we’d still hang on every word. He’s our manager, our boss, our leader and we have massive respect for him.
We owe it to him and ourselves to go again this season. Nothing is handed to you in a league full of quality, and we’ve been a bit unlucky with injuries. As a consequence of that, my role has maybe adapted slightly. At times I’ve found myself the oldest and most experienced player in the backline, which is a new one on me. You need to help the younger lads, but that’s in my make- up anyway. I try to be a leader in what I do, and we’re fortunate to have so many in our squad. I’d hope other people would say that I’m among them.
We’re looking forward to getting everyone back out there, but those who are available are more than capable of doing the job for us. We’ll be in there fighting for trophies again – that determination is always there on and off the pitch.
Everyone knows I enjoy a laugh with Trent Alexander- Arnold and we wind each other up about who gets the most assists, but there are no prizes, or forfeits for the loser. It’s just another thing to help push each other, and the team, on. With the two of us, it’s not something we’d had to work on. The way we bounce off each other when we’re playing probably comes from getting on so well. Trent is an incredible player, so technically gifted, and I love watching him do what he does. At his age he has it all ahead of him, and it’s frightening to think how good he could be.
The other ambition driving me on this year was obviously trying to help Scotland reach Euro 2020 – I’m still struggling to put into words how much it means to me that we managed it.
“THE EUROS... WOW. IT’LL BE SOME EXPERIENCE. WE’RE NOT GOING THERE TO MAKE UP THE NUMBERS, THOUGH”
The reaction back home was euphoric. It really gave the nation a lift at a tough time, just as what we did with Liverpool meant so much to the city. We played as well as we’d done in a long time in the play- off final against Serbia, only to concede an equaliser right at the death. It would have been easy for heads to drop, but there’s bags of character in that team and our boys did amazingly well in the penalty shootout. When David Marshall made the decisive save from Aleksandar Mitrovic, I felt a real mixture of emotions: exhaustion, joy and relief. I held back a bit in the interviews, but in my head I felt the enormity of it all and what it meant to so many people.
I’ve been through a lot more as a Scotland player than with Liverpool, purely as everything’s pretty much been on an upward trajectory since I arrived at Anfield from Hull three- and- a- half years ago. As a national team, we’ve gone through some difficult periods and serious tests. You can’t hide away from that, and when I was first given the captaincy it was tough. After the Serbia match, I sat down with Marshall and we were talking about all the poor results and hard times that we’d been involved in along the way. We both agreed it was all worth it for that one unbelievable moment in Belgrade.
Growing up, I felt like I was missing out when the big tournaments came around and Scotland weren’t there. I remember bits and pieces of the 1998 World Cup in France, but I’ve got much clearer memories of the family party that my late Auntie Vera organised for the opening match against Brazil. She had some massive banners and flags, and everyone was there. I loved it. Then you’re conscious there’s no repeat, because there were no more tournaments.
We lost my Auntie Vera, and she was in my thoughts when we won in Serbia. It still hurts that she’s not here to see it, but I know she’ll be looking down with pride. She’d have been one of the happiest women in Scotland when Marshall saved that penalty.
Anyone who knows me will tell you that family means everything to me. They’re the first people I think about when I’ve had success with Liverpool and now Scotland.
Becoming a dad to Rocco and Aria has had a huge impact on me as well. Between the kids and my partner Rachel, we’re a good little team. It’s just love, isn’t it? I want the kids to be proud of me and what I’ve done when they’re slightly older and aware of everything. Rachel has given up a lot to help me over the years. She’s been through everything and you need someone like that. She supports me during the difficult times and is there with me in the good ones, too. They’re my ultimate motivation. I believe I’m lucky to be naturally motivated, but if I ever need to go that extra yard, they drive me on. I wish I could see the rest of the family, but that day will come soon – you can be assured there will be a giant Robertson party to follow.
It will be hard to top 2020 in football terms, but the great teams are the ones who succeed consistently. I want to push for more, and don’t want to be sitting here in 30 years looking back on one- off moments with Liverpool and Scotland.
I’d also like to dedicate as much time as possible to a few things I’m passionate about away from football. It was an honour to be made an ambassador of Street Soccer Scotland earlier this year, following in the footsteps of someone like Sir Alex Ferguson.
The founder and CEO of Street Soccer Scotland, David Duke MBE, is a brilliant guy and an inspiration in his own right. He’s been a massive support in helping me to set up my own charity, called AR26, to help underprivileged kids back home.
We’re trying to help disadvantaged youngsters and level the playing field for them. One way of doing it is providing access to free football and more coaching all over the country, even just to give parents a bit of a helping hand and some spare time.
I’m in it for the long run with both, so it’ll be a process to get where we want to be, but we’ve already made a decent dent. I’d like AR26 to be similar to the Make- A- Wish Foundation – to give kids and parents who are up against it the experiences of a lifetime. Both of my kids are happy and healthy. I’m grateful every day for that and can’t imagine the pain that some endure. We want to do all we can.
The other side of it is helping deprived adults go down the right path. Many people focus on the second chances in life. We’ll assist them in those situations, but we also want to see if we can intervene earlier. Rachel and I feel extremely fortunate to have had the upbringings we had, so we want to use our voices and what we have available to us to make a difference.
I don’t have to look far for other goals in 2021. I’m desperate to see supporters back in grounds when it’s safe – Anfield and Hampden Park weren’t built to be empty. Liverpool- wise, it’s as simple as wanting to lift more trophies, because it’s a good thing to become accustomed to. Each one you win makes you hungrier for the next.
For Scotland... wow. The Euros will be some experience. Hopefully it will be the first of several finals appearances for this group. We don’t want to go there and make up the numbers, and we’ll do whatever we can to give a good account of ourselves and make the nation proud. I don’t think my approach will change at all.
People have talked a lot about my back story – from Queen’s Park to Liverpool and the Scotland captaincy – but that ‘ rags- to- riches’ stuff never came from me. I always prefer to look ahead. Others can speak about it, and maybe someday I’ll look back at everything, but that’s a long way off.
When I left Queen’s Park it was all about Dundee United, then Hull and Liverpool – pushing myself as hard as I could to give myself the best opportunity of fulfilling any potential I have. I still like to think of myself as an underdog – it gets the best out of me.
I don’t pay too much attention to my own football journey, but if it encourages a few youngsters to stick at it and believe in themselves more, that’s brilliant.
I think, in any walk of life, it must be an awful feeling to have regrets. I never wanted to think ‘ what if?’ when it came to football. If I gave it my all and that meant 10 years at Queen’s Park, and then some time in the Juniors [ Scotland’s non- league equivalent], so be it. If that was my best, then I could look in the mirror and be at peace with myself.
Fortunately, I ended up on a different path and there’s much more I want to achieve. This last year has to be a success story – but not
the success story.