The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Robertson ‘will miss’ pre-season training after coaching move
DUNDEE UNITED: Former Tannadice star glad to be back in charge of under-18s
After 17 summers of beep tests, screaming limbs and BMI checks, Scott Robertson will finally be spared the brutal punishment of pre-season training. And he will miss every moment of it. Robertson, 33, admits the decision to call time on his playing career was one of the toughest he has ever made.
He was already putting in the hard miles on the treadmill ahead of another tilt at the League 1 title with Raith Rovers when the phone call came from Dundee United.
The former Scotland internationalist firmly believes he had another couple of campaigns left in his legs but, as an aspiring coach, the opportunity to take charge of United’s under-18 side was too tempting.
“I’m still coming to terms with not being a player, really,” he said.
“I’ve still been doing all my runs and preparation for pre-season.
“All players will tell you that it’s not nice to get done in until you can’t breathe any more! But you know why you are doing it and, after that work, you are always as fit as you could possibly be. I’ll miss it.
“It was a really tough decision to stop playing because I think I could have gone on for at least another year, possibly more.
“However, that would have been a selfish decision – not one that, long-term, was the best for me, my family and my future career.
“This is a massive opportunity to progress as a coach and, with the restructuring happening at United, such an exciting thing to be involved in at the start.
“But I think it will only be when the campaign starts that it will really kick in that I’m retired and a coach now.”
Indeed, if the call had come from any other club, he may have resisted and played on at Stark’s Park.
However, this was United, the club for whom he made 126 appearances and attained legendary status by helping them win the 2010 Scottish Cup.
“It’s a special club for me,” he continued.
“When I went into Tannadice to have a chat about this role, my name is still up there on the walls on the honours list. It’s a part of the club’s history.
“Now it’s my job to get some other names up there.
“I was at this club at a time when there was Stuart Armstrong, Ryan Dow, Johnny Russell and they weren’t just making up the numbers – they were pushing, developing and knocking senior players out of the team.
“I remember being that age, getting a taste of senior football and being driven for more, and you need that conveyor belt of talent who are hungry and can challenge for a first-team place, and are better than options you could bring in from elsewhere.
“Young players need knowledge, information, guidance, and support. These are things I believe I can provide.”
A feeling of having made the most of his ability will be the cornerstone of his coaching philosophy.
“You need to combine talent with the right temperament. That is when a player really fulfils his potential,” he said.
“I wish I was more talented but I still managed to enjoy a fantastic career.
“I can look at myself in the mirror and say ‘I played at the highest level I possibly could have’, because I listened to my coaches, worked every day and had the right attitude.
“That is what I want to imprint on these youngsters.”