Liverpool’s Andy Robertson has vented his frustration at the amount of games that he will be expected to play this summer.
Robbo is quote by the Scottish Daily Express as lamenting the need for Scotland to play up to six additional games this June.
“A lot has been said about player welfare over the last couple of years and I hope that’s at the forefront of the decision,” said Robertson. “To ask players to have only two weeks off in a whole year is unacceptable for me.”
As his country’s captain, the Liverpool left-back will be expected to play in most, if not all of those games for Scotland.
That currently amounts to four UEFA Nation’s League games after the season ends in June. There’s also the potential of their World Cup qualifier with Ukraine and subsequent final against Wales being fitted in too.
Robertson says he understands the importance of the international schedule. But he feels that there has to be a limit on the players.
“The Nations League is important but four games is a lot after an intense season for everyone. I think four has to be the maximum,” said the 28-year-old. “You are asking boys to have eight or nine days’ holiday, which I don’t think is fair. That’s why I hope it doesn’t go further than June 14.”
Liverpool’s last game of the season can’t be later than May 28th – the Champions League Final. That Robertson will still be playing more than two weeks after that just goes to show the often ludicrous scheduling nature of international football.
Resting Robbo
Scotland’s potential fixture pile-up will be a worry for his Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp.
As he is a player with boundless energy, Robertson can take on a workload greater than most players. But this same energy can mean that he is susceptible to burnout.
Liverpool now have an excellent back-up to the Scot in Kostas Tsimikas. That allows Robbo to go full-pelt when needed without having to hold anything back for game after game after game.
There is no question that Robertson benefitted from having Tsimikas to take the load off him at the start of this season. The left-back had an energy-sapping campaign in which he started every Premier League game. Robertson then had the mental pressure of leading Scotland to their first European Championships since 1996.
Tsimikas will hopefully still be around should the number 26 have a shortened break this time around, too. But Liverpool would prefer to have a fully rested Robbo ready to go by the time the next season rolls around in August.
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