STEVEN Naismith last night expressed confidence that Andy Robertson will be able to put the disappointment of losing the Champions League final behind him and help Scotland beat Ukraine in the Qatar 2022 play-off semi-final.
Liverpool left back Robertson was devastated on Saturday night when the Anfield club lost 1-0 to Real Madrid in the climax of European football’s premier club competition at the Stade de France in Paris.
However, national team coach Naismith believes the defender will be fully focused on securing victory a win in the Path A match against Ukraine at Hampden and a place in the final against Wales on Sunday when he joins up with his countrymen today.
“I think he will be fine,” he said. “I’ve been there myself when you’ve been to cup finals. He will have the disappointment.
“But as much as you have the disappointment, football is 24/7, all year round. As he drops into the squad here the dynamics change and the surroundings change. The focus just leads straight on to the next game. That’s top level football now.
“So from that point of view there won’t be an issue with Robbo, without a shadow of a doubt. Now the focus is on another massive game and the rewards for that as are big as anything else because you have the chance to go to a World Cup.
“The experience Robbo has had over the last six, seven, eight years has built him up to be in that elite category that he understands how it works. So I don’t think it will be an issue for him.”
Naismith added: “Everyone is dedicated. Everyone has had the feeling of going to the Euros through the play-offs so the dedication is there.
“But on top of that for Robbo, he is the leader. He is the captain. He is one of the faces of this group who has managed to get us to a major tournament and he has continued with that. And what he does at club level, he is a natural leader.
“And on top of that, when he is acting the way he is and consistently being here and wanting to play, he’s a great guy for everybody to look up to.”
“It goes back to the dynamic when he comes here. He won’t be thinking of that game because he will turn up and he will have certain conversations that he naturally wants to have with guys he’s seen and the guys he’s maybe closer to and before he knows it he’s back comfortable and thinking of what’s coming.”
“He will have the conversations. He will come in and talk about the way it was, the build-up, as daft as it sounds the stuff, that happened which delayed the game, just general chat that players talk about. They’ll have that but very quickly the whole focus will turn to the Ukraine game for sure.”
