‘WHIPPET’ BURKE PROVIDES SCOTS WITH A WELCOME FEAR FACTOR

Robertson marvels at progress made by £13m export to the Bundesliga as he backs our flying Scot to be thorn in the flesh of World Cup foes

TO the effusive endorsements of Oliver Burke and comparisons with Gareth Bale and Robbie Keane by Scotland management this week, add the first-hand fear experienced and explained by an £8million-rated direct opponent. ‘We played them in pre-season, I was right up against him,’ says Andrew Robertson. ‘And I can tell you, you just do not want him running at you with the speed that he’s got. But it’s not just speed and power now. He’s added a killer touch as well.’

Robertson’s personal scout report on the most expensive Scottish footballer hopefully makes chilling reading for the World Cup opponents lurking on the road to Russia, a tantalising taster of what the Tartan Army and Gordon Strachan have been pining for on the approach to a new campaign.

Scotland sorely need a daring young hope to cling to. Strachan has been searching for over two years, as his comments from May 2014 show. ‘What we need to do in the next three or four years is develop players who can beat people but have a physical presence about them,’ said Strachan after naming his squad for the London friendly against Nigeria. ‘That’s the area I’d think Scotland must improve on. Beat two or three people at certain points and whack the ball in the back of the net.’

In the robust shape of a 19-year-old flying winger worth £13m in the eyes of ambitious Bundesliga newcomers Red Bull Leipzig, plenty belief and hype exists to suggest Strachan may have stumbled upon one to match the description, fit that dream.

Robertson, for whom Hull rejected a £7m bid from West Ham during the close season, notes the rapid improvement made by a teenager he briefly met in the Championship last season then witnessed cascading down his flank at full pelt in July.

Hull won the friendly 2-1. Burke parted the Premier League defence to confidently net a late consolation goal for Nottingham Forest, doubtless under the watch of a scout or two from his German admirers.

Robertson may only be three years older than Burke but he has packed in significant experience in the English top flight and senior international football against seriously gifted attackers to recognise a talent capable of proving a nightmare for Scotland’s rivals.

He added: ‘I played against him for about ten minutes last season when we were at home and he came off the bench. It was hard for him in that situation because Hull were dominating the game. But you could tell he was a whippet.

‘I’ve been watching him at the start of this season and he’s been brilliant. He’s been scoring goals and added that final touch to his game. I’m delighted for him and his bigmoney move. ‘People maybe thought it was a strange one but he wants to play in that league and it should suit him. Hopefully he will do well and then kick on. I’m sure he’ll justify the price tag. He might get another big move if he keeps going the way he’s going.’ Burke’s record-breaking transfer was franked last week after less than half an hour of Scotland action and ten second-tier starts for Forest. He hurdled the national Under-21s to go straight from Scot Gemmill’s squad to the seniors in March to debut against Denmark. Today he is back at the scene of his second cap, the Ta’Qali Stadium in Malta, where he featured for 19 minutes in defeat to Italy in May. The Group F minnows could be forgiven for wondering how such an expensive team of visitors has struggled to reach a major tournament. Matt Ritchie and Ross McCormack moved to Newcastle and Aston Villa respectively this summer for a combined £23m, while even in a rudderless pre-season condition, Hull knew it was wise to demand much more from West Ham for Robertson. ‘From the outside looking in, that is good for Scottish players,’ said Robertson. ‘But the most important thing, really, for us is to justify the fees. ‘Someone could go for £2m and score 20 goals. From Ross and Oli’s view they can justify it. Ross went for big money to Fulham a couple of years ago and it didn’t affect him one bit. He probably got better and better. ‘For now, with Oli joining up with Scotland and being one of the young players, I’d just say to take every bit of advice on board.

‘When I first went in I didn’t really know anyone so it’s maybe good that four or five have them come in at the same time. Oli is maybe a bit similar as I pretty much bypassed the 21s but he has settled in fine.’

Robertson brings a feelgood factor from his club life, too. Few would have expected Robertson plus colleagues Robert Snodgrass and new signing David Marshall to inject Hull happiness to the Scotland camp following the season’s first month.

The manager who signed them, Steve Bruce, resigned and wasn’t permanently replaced during a torrid summer in which there was no investment in the first team before the Premier League campaign kicked off against Leicester City.

The champions were defeated, however, as were Swansea on the road a week later.

Then, under the caretaker guidance of Mike Phelan, Hull held Manchester United for 90 minutes until Marcus Rashford’s winner.

‘It’s a big high because it’s been so unexpected,’ said Robertson. ‘Not with the players but with media, fans and everyone outwith us because of all that’s went on at our club.

‘We held on to Man United as long as we could but were out on our feet by the end by not being able to make any substitutions.

‘Personally, I’ve started well. I feel more equipped this Premier League season than the last one when I came down from Dundee United and didn’t know what to expect. I had to learn how to play against topquality players.’

World Cup 2018 qualifying begins with a role reversal for Robertson as Scotland should fully expect a threepoint haul from Malta.

‘We should be the heavy favourites and that’s the way it will be,’ he confirmed.

‘For our club side, there’s only a few games where people wouldn’t say we are underdogs. So now we change to this.

‘We will play Malta and we’ll be the big team and need to take the game to them. It’s all about adapting to who you are playing against and I’m sure we will do that.’