It began at Celtic and Andy Robertson would adore it to finish at Celtic if and when Liverpool determine he’s now not wanted at Anfield.
And therein lies the dilemma for the Scotland captain who has by no means hidden his love for the membership that minimize him free as a 15-year-old earlier than happening to turn out to be one of many world’s greatest left-backs.
He’s determined to drag on the inexperienced and white shirt for actual... however not if he’s previous it as a professional. Will the day he leaves Liverpool imply he’s previous it, although? The 28-year-old doesn’t know the reply to that. However when that day comes, because it should sooner or later, he is aware of the place he’d need his subsequent vacation spot to be if he’s nonetheless younger sufficient to offer it his greatest. Robertson is totally trustworthy about his love for Liverpool. If he may see out a profession on Merseyside that has carried him to Champions League and Premier League glory, he can be thrilled.
But when that most popular possibility doesn’t come to move? "Each time I watch Celtic, I think about it,” he admits.
“While you watch them and see a packed Celtic Park... as a fan you at all times have that dream. Ideally I need to end my profession right here at Liverpool. If I can keep on the high of my sport, on the high of the tree my complete profession, that’s the route I need to go down.
“But additionally, after I take a look at Celtic and after I was rising up, I used to be pondering I wished to offer them my greatest years. Once I was at Queen’s Park I had a dream of nonetheless taking part in with Celtic and at all times dreamed of giving my greatest years to Celtic.
“And now I don’t need to go as a 34 or 35-year-old previous man that my uncles begin hating on me as a result of I can’t transfer any extra! Time will inform. I’m very a lot an individual who lives within the second.
“I don’t look too far forward and I don’t usually look again. There can be a time for that.”
Robertson, who's lacking out on this week’s Scotland triple-header by damage, has spent a while trying again with Darrell Currie on BT Sport’s Currie Membership podcast. And he admits being advised as a teen he wouldn’t make it at Celtic despatched him on a journey that has taken him past his wildest desires.
He says: “Peak was part of it, additionally the physicality – I wasn’t precisely muscle-bound. I bought launched at a time of numerous change at Celtic. Numerous gamers in any respect age teams bought launched.
“It’s not fairly make or break however on the time there have been two choices – go full-time soccer or get launched. There’s nowhere else to show. Once I was 15 and getting let go from the largest membership in Scotland, actually one of many two, Queen’s Park was native to me and I used to be nonetheless at college, so it was pretty straightforward to go there.
“I labored on the concert events and the large soccer matches. And after I was 18 it was determination time. Faculty was completed and did I need to go to varsity or college and additional my training?
“I used to be very lucky that my mum and pop allowed me to have a yr out. My auntie Vera was instrumental in that. She managed to persuade my mum and pop as a result of she was at all times satisfied I used to be going to make it.
“I don’t know why as a result of at instances it didn’t appear that method. My solely remorse is that after I was at Dundee United, she sadly handed away too shortly and didn’t fairly get to see the journey I went on.
“She noticed me play first-team soccer, which was unbelievable. She went to each Dundee United sport. There are numerous explanation why I really like taking part in for Scotland however that’s actually certainly one of them that drives me ahead by the great and the unhealthy.”
Earlier than Dundee United there was, in fact, Queen’s Park. And Robertson’s time on the then-amateur membership coincided with Rangers becoming a member of them within the Third Division, creating an curiosity and publicity the teenager was decided to make use of to his benefit.
He says: “That season I attempted to construct myself up a little bit, get a bit stronger and labored on my weaknesses. I did that for six months.
“I used to be on £18 per week to cowl my petrol and that’s not sufficient, so within the final six months at Queen’s Park I labored within the equipment room for the Scotland group for work expertise. One of many kitmen who was my boss now works right here at Liverpool, which is a bit unusual, and I’m at all times chatting with him.
“This stuff all formed me and I knew if the yr at Queen’s Park didn’t work out, then I’d have to step again from it and do extra instructional stuff. I couldn’t waste any extra time.
“We knew there can be much more publicity within the Third Division. We knew video games have been going to be on telly.
“We knew scouts have been going to be watching, so I believed, ‘That is my probability. I’m not going to get a greater probability as a result of I’ll be getting watched’.
“Queen’s Park will get watched anyway as a result of there are at all times younger gamers in it however with Rangers within the division, I aimed to actually set up myself.
“I actually tried to enhance, to take tips about board from the skilled lads. I nonetheless take a look at them in the present day and thank them any time I come throughout them.
“It’s bizarre as a result of a few of them are like, ‘Why is he thanking me when he’s at Liverpool?’. However I don’t see it like that. I used to be a younger boy they usually helped me massively. I’ll always remember it.”
READ NEXT