Andy Robertson’s former high school teacher has recalled his experiences with Liverpool legend and Scotland skipper Andy Robertson.
While nowadays, the 30-year-old has regularly been referred to as one of the best left-backs in world football – Robertson did not have it easy in his footballing journey.
The Liverpool man will captain his Scotland side for their second Euro 2024 group game against Switzerland, but the journey to become his nation’s record appearance maker as captain was not plain sailing,
At schoolboy level, Andy Robertson was released by Scottish giants Celtic at the age of 14.
Being released from a club is probably one of the most hurtful and difficult setbacks an aspiring professional footballers can go through, as it’s basically the club’s way of saying you are not good enough.
But Robertson’s resilience was evident early on, and he put in the necessary work to secure a contract at Queen’s Park, and after moving up the ranks to play for Dundee United.
Before long, his talents were noticed down south and he was snapped up by Hull City before joining Liverpool in 2017 and going on to achieve what he’s managed to.
Robertson made history by making his 49th appearance as captain recently, a new national record for the men’s team.
And now a former teacher has recalled the journey that Robertson has been on.
WHAT DID ANDY ROBERTSON’S TEACHER SAY ABOUT THE LIVERPOOL MAN?
Speaking to STV ahead of an all-important clash against Switzerland in Group A this evening (Wednesday), St Ninian’s headteacher Gerry O’Neil shared that Robertson was not a trouble maker in class.
Furthermore, it seems Robertson was always a leader as he was the captain of a ‘good’ St Ninian’s football side:
“I knew Andy as a pupil, I was his year head from when he was in S3 so I worked with him fairly closely, I didn’t teach him but I worked closely with him for about four years,” Mr. O’Neil began.
“He was a good pupil, he worked hard, was a great footballer and he was part of a really good football team with lots of good players in the team.”
“He was the captain of the team, he led them well and he was good to have around and a popular boy as well.”
“It’s a big school, there were 300 pupils in his year group, he was well known but stand out across the year group more than anyone else in particular but on the football field he stood out as a quality player.
“He was always a good player, and even before I knew him he was playing for Celtic and he was released around the age of 14, so I think he had a bit of a challenge.”
“Because many players at that stage when they are released by one of the bigger clubs they give up so he certainly has a great story there because he never gave up, he signed with Queen’s Park and when he left St Ninian’s after sixth year he got a contract with them.”
“He worked hard there before getting a move to Dundee United, then Hull and ultimately Liverpool.”
ANDY ROBERTSON EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS
Mr. O’Neil spoke of his pride and surprise that his former pupil has gone on to become a Liverpool and Scotland legend, admitting that he not envisaged Andy Robertson becoming such a corner stone of a world-class team:
“I always remember him signing for Liverpool and we all thought he was going to be a bit of a squad player, so to then watch that journey from squad player to a starting left-back and ever-present in the team that won the league and indeed winning the Champions League to go on to be quoted as one of the best left-backs in the world.”
“So that journey from being released at 14 to being one of the best left-backs in the world was a fantastic journey,” Mr. O’Neil explained.
“He always showed a great deal of resilience, which I think the team [Scotland] are going to have to show over the next couple of games, and it’s a great example to pupils in this school and across the country, because that determination to succeed, in terms of his football career, proves there is no wrong path when you are willing to work at it.”
“I’ve heard pupils that have been released from clubs saying ‘well it happened to Andy Robertson’.”
“So, it’s a great message and it doesn’t need to be about football, it can be about not getting that apprenticeship, not getting into that university course, in any aspect of life that is an example we can show to the pupils and use that as an inspiration.”
