Arrival of Milos Kerkez has relegated Robertson to bench for Liverpool's first two games of the season - but Souness expects 31-year-old to bounce back.
06:00, 24 Aug 2025
Andy Robertson(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Graeme Souness insists Andy Robertson’s doubters are writing the Scotland skipper off at their peril.
At 344 appearances for Liverpool, Robbo stands just 15 shy of matching Souness’ record on Merseyside. And with 84 caps in the bag the left back is only 18 behind another Anfield legend - Kenny Dalglish - as Scotland’s most capped player of all-time.
It’s been a remarkable run since the former Hull, Dundee United and Queen’s Park man made his debut for Liverpool eight years ago.
But with his contract set to expire next summer and having lost his starting spot to £40m summer signing Milos Kerkez, doubts have now been raised as to whether the 31-year-old’s time at Anfield is about up.
Not by Souness though. The Scotland hall of fame member, who lifted three European Cups with Liverpool, insists Robertson won’t be going anywhere soon and still has “a hell of a lot to offer” for club and country.
Steve Clarke will name his latest Scotland squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers away to Denmark and Belarus this week.
Robertson, as always, should be among the first on his list.
And while he was a second half sub for Liverpool’s Premier League opener against Bournemouth and the Community Shield defeat to Crystal Palace, he looks certain to win caps 85 and 86 in the coming weeks to take him closer to Dalglish’s haul of 102.
Souness said: “That's some achievement, yeah. He's still got a hell of a lot to offer. I mean, that's just forward planning from Liverpool (bringing in Kerkez).
“Andy Robertson’s at an age where all the big clubs would be looking to get someone in to step in in a year's time. Or if it's now, he's not going to step aside easily.
“He’ll still see himself as number one for that position. And so he should.
“I’ve seen Milos Kerkez play at Bournemouth because that's where I live. He's talented. But is he ready? See, when you take a player like that from a small club, although he's playing in the Premier League and doing really well in the Premier League, can you go to a big club and turn up every week?
“Because Liverpool play a cup final every week. And that's not something that's happened at Bournemouth.
“Andy Robertson won't be going anywhere anytime soon, I wouldn't have thought. He looks to be a really good character, a strong character in the dressing room. So he'll be the Scotland captain next year as well. He's still got lots and lots to offer.”
Robertson’s former Liverpool team mate Ben Doak could return to Clarke’s squad for the first time since last November after completing a £25m move to Bournemouth last week.
The 19-year-old made a stunning international breakthrough in the Nations League before a thigh injury ruled him out of this year’s play-off defeat to Greece and the June friendlies against Iceland and Liechtenstein.
Souness reckons the Tartan Army are right to be excited about the little winger. But he’s also urged patience to allow the former Celtic kid time to fully realise his potential.
He said: “He's a bit of a throwback, isn't he? A dribbling winger that gets you on the edge of your seat. Don't be putting him under too much pressure at the age of 19. Let him develop slowly.
“I like him. I’m a football fan. People who run with the ball and drop the shoulder and go past people get you on the edge of your seat.
“A lot of the football teams, the best teams all have one of those. If you think of Liverpool, they've got Salah, Diaz. It's all passing and passing and passing.
“But ultimately, if you can commit someone, that means someone in the defensive chain has to then come out and support. So that's where the gaps start to appear.
“You've got to have someone who can skip past someone. So he can be a big player going forward for club and country.”
Graeme Souness
Graeme Souness
When Souness finally called time on his trophy-laden Liverpool career it was to head to Italy with Sampdoria.
And the 72-year-old admits seeing the ever-increasing Scottish contingent tear up Serie A led by Napoli champions Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour, Coppa Italia winning Lewis Ferguson at Bologna and Che Adams, Josh Doig and now Lennon Miller fills him with pride.
He said: “Brilliant. It's great for their footballing experience. It's great for their development as a human being. And they'll be richer for the experience.
“It gets us on the map a bit. It’s an exciting place to play football and to live. I can only talk from my own experience. I went when I was quite experienced - or very experienced. And I continued to learn stuff.
“So, it's only good for their development. And hopefully Scotland will pick up the benefits of that.
“I think the manager's done a really good job with the group of players he works with.
“They've let themselves down on occasion. I was here for the Croatia game a few years ago after they got a draw with England that they should have won at Wembley.
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“And then there was the Euros in Germany, it was the opening game and we didn't do ourselves justice there. I don't think we really believed.
“But when we got a player sent off (Ryan Porteous) he's launched at Gundogan. So it was a player playing for Watford, going through someone who played for Barcelona.
“And that tells you the task that the manager has. You know, he is working with players who he's getting the most out of.”