ANDY ROBERTSON is relishing his battles with Kieran Tierney for the Scotland armband and a starting berth at left-back.
The Liverpool star is set to feature in Alex McLeish’s first match of his reign as boss when Costa Rica make the trip to Hampden on Friday night.
The absence of Tierney from the squad through injury means McLeish doesn’t have a tough call to make over to who start in their favoured left full-back slot.
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But Robertson is confident he will rise to the challenge if he has to go head-to-head with his defensive compatriot in the future.
“We probably would have talked about it if he had shown up!” Robertson said. “But unfortunately he’s had to pull out.
“We’re not quite sure how the manager will set up. There’s been a lot of talk but, ultimately, that’s up to him.
“I’m sure he’ll adapt to different games and different situations.
“But if we have to fight for one spot then I’m sure we’ll be both be up for that fight, and whoever the manager picks we’ll have to respect that.
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“If he is going to try to get both of us in the team then one of us will have to adapt, because we both can’t stand on each others’ toes, that’s for sure!
“KT has been brilliant. He had to adapt to playing right-back in the campaign, but against England we played five at the back and we worked down the left-hand side together and I thought it worked quite well.
“But that was under the old manager and now the new manager will have some new ideas and we’ll look forward to seeing what they are.”
The issues over how to get the best out of Robertson and Tierney is just one problem for McLeish to solve in the coming months.
But he must also select a skipper for the side following Scott Brown’s decision to retire from international football for a second time.
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Robertson said: “If you ask any of the boys ‘would you like to be Scotland captain', then I don’t think anyone would turn their noses up at it.
“Maybe the press have just thought of having another chance of making it me against KT, but there are plenty of candidates in there.
“I’ve been in the squad with the experienced lads and there are a lot of leaders in there. Even when Broony was here there was more than just one leader.
“But he was a fantastic captain for a number of years and we were very lucky. He led by example and did a terrific job. So, I think whoever gets it will have big boots to fill.”
After hosting Costa Rica on Friday evening, Scotland will make the trip to Hungary on Monday for the second match of a friendly double-header.
McLeish has named a handful of uncapped players in his squad but Robertson reckons everyone must make the most of their chance to impress.
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He said: “I think for the young boys and the new lads, it helps that the new manager is in because it is a clean slate for everyone.
“We all have to prove ourselves to the manager. He has obviously seen us play for our clubs but we have never worked under him, apart from maybe Greegsy (Allan McGregor) at Rangers.
“Other than that, we need to prove ourselves and prove that we are worthy of a start in the eleven or to be in the squad.
“I think that will help the young lads and the new lads in the squad and maybe boys that didn’t get a chance under previous managers.
“That is the excitement of a new manager and especially international football where a lot can change. It is a couple of months since the last one but people are breeding confidence and hopefully we can use that.”
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