What Does Robertson's Liverpool Situation Mean For Scotland?

World Cup qualifying: Denmark v Scotland

Venue: Parken, Copenhagen Date: Friday, 5 September Kick-off: 19:45 BST

Coverage: Watch unrecorded connected BBC Scotland, BBC Two, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website & app, matter updates connected BBC Sport website & app, perceive connected BBC Radio Scotland & Sounds

Being named Liverpool vice-captain isn't nan only caller domiciled for Scotland left-back Andy Robertson this play pursuing a self-confessed "difficult summer".

Following Milos Kerkez's presence from Bournemouth, nan nationalist squad skipper appears to person slipped to 2nd prime astatine Anfield for nan first clip since signing for nan Reds 8 years ago.

With conscionable 30 Premier League minutes nether his loop this term, nan 31-year-old mightiness beryllium lacking a small successful lucifer sharpness for World Cup qualifying double header against Denmark and Belarus - unrecorded crossed nan BBC.

"I've missed nan emotion of playing games," Robertson told BBC Scotland. "I'm utilized to being a regular starter for truthful galore years and it's been a spot difficult pinch nan modulation but I deliberation I've dealt pinch it reasonably well."

A interest for nationalist squad caput coach Steve Clarke? Not yet, according to nan man himself and erstwhile Everton and Scotland attacker and BBC pundit James McFadden, who insists "short term, location won't beryllium excessively overmuch of an issue".

But should Robertson's play see much sitting than starting, past Scotland and their skipper whitethorn person a problem.

When Scotland past came together - for friendlies against Iceland and Liechtenstein successful June - each nan talk was about Robertson's future.

Liverpool's links to Kerkez were clear astatine that shape but wherever did that time off nan two-time Premier League winner?

Some had tipped Robertson - who is successful nan last twelvemonth of his statement - to time off Anfield, pinch a number of clubs reportedly, and understandably, interested.

And yet contempt 21-year-old Hungary world Kerkez making nan £40m move on a five-year deal, Robertson has opted to instrumentality astir and conflict for nan position he's agelong had a stranglehold of.

"I had a deliberation astir what I wanted to do and I came to nan decision, committed to nan determination and I'm happy to beryllium there," he added.

"We had options and we conscionable worked done it arsenic a family.

"Everything boiled down to that my bosom was still successful Liverpool and we wanted to stay. We're very settled location and we're astatine 1 of nan biggest clubs successful nan world."

So far, successful nan infancy of Arne Slot's side's title-defence, Robertson hasn't had overmuch of a sniff, though.

Thirty minutes successful Liverpool's play opener against Bournemouth connected 15 August is each he's got, though Scotland caput coach Clarke said his skipper will still “play much than capable football” arsenic his nine compete connected 4 fronts.

But nan deficiency of minutes travel aft a stickier run by his precocious standards, wherever much mistakes were made and conscionable 1 assistance successful 33 convention games was registered.

That was acold from nan ridiculous numbers he and chap full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold utilized to station nether Jurgen Klopp, albeit nan measurement they were asked to play nether Slot was different.

Sporadically throughtout his world career, Robertson has been taxable of vexation from immoderate sections of nan Scotland support, arsenic he has astatine times struggled to replicate his cracking nine shape for his country.

He could deed double-figures connected assists for Liverpool but could often past only find nan Hampden stands pinch a transverse connected world duty.

If only it was truthful elemental to propose that shape could flip successful favour of Scotland, fixed Liverpool punters aren’t presently enjoying nan fruits of his labour.

Though not arsenic straightforward arsenic that, McFadden thinks location is simply a measurement Robertson’s commencement to nan play - aliases deficiency of - could use Clarke’s team.

"It mightiness really activity retired because you've sewage personification that wants to travel successful and hopefully punctual everybody that he should beryllium starting,” McFadden said.

"It's difficult. I've been location earlier wherever you're not playing regularly, but going distant pinch Scotland gave maine a assistance because I knew location was a chance of playing and it was conscionable thing a wee spot different.”

Scotland supporters are hopeless for thing a wee spot different.

The loudest outcry of nan batch is to ditch nan backmost three, which was introduced to accommodate Robertson and Kieran Tierney.

The Celtic full-back pulled out of this squad done injury, truthful it somewhat forces Clarke’s manus into going pinch nan 4 successful defence.

It tin beryllium based on - successful nan aforesaid measurement nan 3 was to suit Scotland‘s spot astatine left-back - a backmost 4 favours Scotland‘s rising stars. Most notably, Ben Gannon-Doak.

The Bournemouth winger’s blistering gait is for illustration fewer Scots earlier him, pinch McFadden - and galore others - adding he’s “someone we’ve been crying retired for”.

“He’s a subordinate that we don't spot a batch of,” he added. “We spot a batch of wide men pinch speed, but he wants to get connected nan shot and he wants to return group on.

“We request to get him successful nan squad wherever he's best, and activity retired what's champion to fresh astir about him.”

Naturally, that will travel astatine a costs for immoderate of Clarke’s astir trusted players. Those who person taken Scotland to back-to-back European championships.

Robertson, though, backs himself to stay a portion of Clarke's plans and proceed his pursuit of Kenny Dalglish's grounds 102 caps.

He's, of course, been successful his chap Liverpool hero's receptor telling him: "I'm coming for you".

"His reply was plentifulness of players person said that earlier and he's still nan main man," Robertson revealed.

The left-back is still 18 appearances awkward connected nan eve of what he knows is apt to beryllium his past ace astatine qualifying for a World Cup.

An almighty return astatine Anfield whitethorn beryllium required if he is to beryllium Dalglish wrong.