Robertson ponders what might have been
ANDY ROBERTSON was left heartbroken when he was axed from Celtic at the age of 15.
At the time, the fresh-faced Glasgow lad had no clue if his dream of becoming a professional footballer would become a reality.
But in a fairy-tale style story, Robertson went on to play for Queen’s Park, Dundee United and Hull City before starring as a Premier League and Champions League winner for Liverpool, and the full-back has also taken on the role of national team captain in that time.
It’s been quite the turnaround for Robertson and he’s come a long way from the day that he shed a tear after being released from his boyhood club.
But he admits it still plays on his mind to this day despite the extraordinary success he has enjoyed since.
Robertson said: “It’s something I think about quite a lot, to be honest. If you asked me when I was playing for Hull if I wanted to go back and play for Celtic then I would have said that 100 per cent I wanted to play for my boyhood club.
“But now I’ve found my home at Liverpool and I love playing for this club. If I could retire at Liverpool then I’d bite your hand off for it now. In an ideal world I’d want to retire here.
“Playing at this club is amazing. To play in front of the fans every second week at Anfield is incredible.
“When I was younger I wanted to play for Celtic and give my best years to Celtic. I didn’t want to be hanging on and going there at 33 or 34 when I knew my best years were gone.
“It might be something I’ll need to think about at some stage. I still follow Celtic and they still have a place in my heart.
“It would be hard to say ‘no’ but if I did have the option of retiring at Liverpool I’d bite your hand off for it and I’d probably sign the contract now.”
Robertson didn’t have long to wait before encountering silverware at Liverpool with a Champions League and Premier League trophy arriving in his hands within the space of three years since his move to Anfield.
But Liverpool’s recent successes have meant so much to so many, especially with the Merseyside club winning the league for the first time in 30 years.
Commenting on the emotion of so many Liverpool legends to Kris Boyd and Robert Snodgrass on The Lockdown Tactics podcast, Robertson continued: “That’s part and parcel of it. We had quite a few wet eyes in the small party we had. When you play for Liverpool, winning means so much.
“For ‘The King’ to be emotional means we’ve done something pretty well. He was brought up as a player and a manager here and he was used to success – winning league titles and the Champions League year in and year out.
“For this club to go 30 years without winning the league was something we had to change. That’s why people were more emotional than usual.
“I’m hopeful we won’t have to wait 30 years for the next one. Hopefully, winning the league, will become a normal thing again for Liverpool.”
On his relationship with Kenny Dalglish, Robertson added:
“Him and his wife, Marina, have been exceptional with me and my family, whether it was settling into our house or getting anything we needed.
“You know a legend like that doesn’t need to be like that as he has enough on his plate. But he has been so crucial for me. I’ve spoken to him about Liverpool and I’ve spoken to him about Scotland and he has been someone I’ve been able to turn to.
“Not many people can say they can turn to Kenny Dalglish for advice.”