MUST DO A LOT BETTER
Robertson is so eager to make up for the Haifa horror show
TO Andy Robertson, there is no little irony in the fact goalkeeper Allan McGregor will be rested in favour of Craig Gordon for this evening’s friendly against Portugal at Hampden. According to the Scotland captain, McGregor is the only player who started against Israel who deserves to keep his place.
From the gloom of Georgia to a frustrating and ultimately costly drawn World Cup qualifier at home to Lithuania, Robertson has endured disappointments in his relatively short international career.
Yet nothing came close to the misery of defeat in Haifa, where Alex McLeish’s team were outplayed to a degree that was not reflected in the 2-1 final scoreline.
An extension of McGregor’s fine club form for Rangers was responsible for keeping the score down and Robertson admits that no one deserved more criticism than himself.
Appointed captain in the wake of a stellar season that saw him play in a Champions League Final for Liverpool, the left-back demands far better of himself.
He also expects more from his team-mates. And that’s why he was willing to accept the boos from the travelling support at full-time on Thursday night’s Nations League fixture.
‘I’m never going to question the fans — they pay a lot of money to come over to these places,’ he said. ‘The Tartan Army follow us everywhere, They are frustrated at what is happening just now, but we were also frustrated with our performance.
‘The boss picked the same starting XI that beat Albania, but will that stay the same for the next qualifier? If I was him, I would be doubting every position because none of us showed up apart from Greegsy, who kept the score down.
‘He was outstanding but I don’t think anyone else played to their capabilities.
‘My performance on Thursday wasn’t good enough. I was one of the worst, if not the worst, so I’ve got to be better.
‘But at the end of the day, when we come here, we’re all Scotland players and we all have to work together.
‘Since I’ve been here we have had a couple of bad results — Georgia away and Lithuania at home. But that is the first time we have been booed off. Of course the players react to that, it wasn’t nice — but it is up to us to prove we are fighting for our country.’ In terms of his outward personality, Robertson would not be an obvious choice as skipper. He’s not a ranter or raver and, at 24, still exudes the youthful enthusiasm that has carried him from amateur status at Queen’s Park to the highest echelons of European football. It’s precisely because of that status that he got the nod from McLeish. He seems willing to take all the commensurate flak. ‘I feel extra responsibility when we come off the pitch as I have to help lift the boys and all the staff,’ he added. ‘Everyone was down after that performance on Thursday. Fans can react negatively to me, that is all part and parcel of it. Since I was made captain, it has happened a bit more as they see me as scapegoat.
‘I can take it on the chin. I have to up my performances. And if I can help even five per cent to get the lads right for the game against Portugal, then I will do that.
‘It hurts. I was part of the team when Gibraltar came to Hampden and scored their first ever international goal.
‘We went on to win 6-1 but all the players knew when that goal went in, we could have scored 12 and we’d still get negative reaction from the press and fans.’
Ranked 55 places lower than Scotland in the FIFA world rankings, Israel did not enter Thursday’s game with any great confidence.
In conversation before the match, one Israeli journalist spoke of ‘constant decline’ and this current team being the nation’s worst in 30 years. Having lost the opening Nations League match to an Albania side subsequently beaten comfortably in Glasgow, there was no real anticipation ahead of the game.
Robertson (left) added: ‘I’m not hiding, Thursday was a bad game and probably
My performance in Israel wasn’t good enough. I was one of the worst, if not the worst
the worst game I’ve had in a Scotland jersey. The worst result, too.
‘Georgia was a bit different. It was tough and we had a couple of chances. Against Lithuania, we should have won.
‘Israel dominated a game they shouldn’t have. We did not create many chances other than the penalty and Callum McGregor having a couple of shots.’
Whether Scotland will have the chance to address that against the European champions tonight is highly debatable.
Fernando Santos’s team represent a significant upgrade in opposition, even if the match will be shorn of any competitive edge. From his tone, however, you suspect Robertson will be treating the game like it was the most crucial of qualifiers. Going into the encounter he will also have the support of another of Scottish football’s most renowned competitors.
‘Steven Naismith’s been a big help because he’s been here and done it for many years,’ explained Robertson. ‘He and I have spoken about how to get the lads up for it. Luckily, we have boys who are young and hungry for this game, some who haven’t played. For them, it’s a chance to prove it.’
McLeish has confirmed that Celtic keeper Gordon will start in place of McGregor in goal, while there will also be at least two defensive slots available after John Souttar, Charlie Mulgrew and Kieran Tierney dropped out of the squad.
Hurt and later red-carded in Haifa, Hearts defender Souttar had a miserable night in the Sammy Ofer Stadium, yet no one took the night’s events worse than Tierney, who went as far as delivering a dressing-room apology after his miscued clearance gave Israel the winning goal.
Robertson is all for players taking personal responsibility but he felt Tierney’s contrition was excessive.
‘We’re an honest bunch and KT is no different,’ he declared. ‘He’s looked at the fact he scored the own goal that beat us, but it’s not his fault.
‘It was one of those freak things — he has tried to clear it, he hasn’t caught it properly and the ball has gone into the back of the net.
‘He apologised but we didn’t all say: “OK, KT, you take the blame!”. Everybody was a bit confused by it, but that’s the way KT is. He feels he’s to blame, but far from it. It’s something we’ll all learn from.’
Sent home to rest a body that has already powered through 22 games this season, Tierney’s absence will give McLeish an opportunity to deploy Robertson in his favoured position at left-back.
McLeish has fielded the same back three in his first two competitive games but with Tierney, Souttar and Mulgrew all missing, he may decide to field the Aberdeen duo of Scott McKenna and Mikey Devlin, with either Stephen O’Donnell or possibly Jack Hendry at right-back.
The indications are that the manager would like to persist with the 3-5-2 format that allows him to field both Tierney and Robertson, who admits he is still getting to grips with playing in an unfamiliar system.
‘It’s a tough one,’ he said. ‘Playing left midfield is a completely different position to left-back. I find it a lot better with someone in front of me to play off. But, if the manager chooses to go with three at the back, both of us need to get better.
As abject as Thursday’s performance was, it did not do fatal harm to Scotland’s prospects of winning the group.
All three teams sit level on three points after two matches, with Israel due to take on the Albanians in Be’er Sheva tonight.
The campaign will conclude next month with a double header that sees McLeish’s team meet Albania in Shkoder and then host the Israelis a few nights later.
‘Although it doesn’t feel like it after Thursday the group is still in our hands,’ said Robertson. ‘If we win the next two games that’s us won the league and that’s been the aim from the start.’