Scott McTominay has proven Man Utd wrong as Liverpool hero Andy Robertson delivers brutally honest take

Daily Record

2 days ago

McTominay scooped the Serie A title with Napoli and was named the most valuable player in the league
Andy Robertson reckons Scott McTominay has proved Manchester United and his Premier League doubters wrong by becoming a Serie A superstar.
The Scotland skipper was delighted to see his international team-mate, along with Billy Gilmour, win the Italian title with Napoli.
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McTominay was also named the league's most valuable player and Robertson believes his critics will have been left eating their words.
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The Liverpool full-back said: 'I think he went over there with a point to prove. He wanted to prove Man United wrong and prove people in the Premier League wrong.
'He's done that pretty successfully. That's credit to him, his attitude and his determination to be the best version of himself. Now he's a king over there.
'At Man United he lacked getting that run of games consistently, he was in and out. He probably didn't get the respect he deserves.
'Then he goes over there, puts in a magnificent season and fair play to him to end it with the league title.'
McTominay has been a key figure for Scotland in recent campaigns but Robertson believes he has got even better. The Scots have been preparing for this evening's home friendly with Iceland and Robbo added: 'Even before he was at Napoli Scott's standard for Scotland was unbelievable. He's getting better and better as well, he's taken it to a whole new level.'
Gilmour has admits he is happy to live in McTominay's shadows in Naples. And Robertson added: 'Scott is a winner, we see that every day in training because he sets standards, looks after himself.
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'He talks to the young lads and tries to give off his experience. He's started speaking to us in Italian on the pitch! I watched the game against Cagliari, when they won Serie A, saw his goal and reaction was special.
'It's impossible to overlook Billy because he's been excellent since he went over there as well.
'But McTominay has taken it to a whole new level, he was voted the best player in the league. It was special for both of them.
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'Billy was talking about how if he goes out in Naples he can walk about a bit more freely, while Scotty is surrounded.
'It's a massive club, a big fanbase. We played them a couple of times in the Champions League and it's not an easy place to go. Everyone knows how passionate their fans are so for them to love one of ours, it's pretty special for Scotland too.'
'They love Billy too so credit to both of them for going over there, being successful and winning the trophy.'
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Robertson is a proven winner at Liverpool and so are the Celtic players in the Scotland squad. But the success of the Napoli pair, Lewis Ferguson lifting the Coppa Italia at Bologna and Max Johnston claiming a second Austrian Bundesliga title will only benefit Scotland going forward.
The skipper said: 'Scotty now knows a different way of playing in Italian football and that can only help us.
'We've seen Scott and Billy go there, we've seen Lewis Ferguson go there, Aaron Hickey, Che Adams.
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'We've got Max Johnston playing abroad as well and when players move abroad they see a different way of playing and a different lifestyle.
'That can only help the young lads coming through and I wouldn't be surprised if they're thinking they want to go and try it.
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'That's credit to the lads for stepping out of their comfort zone.
'I said two or three years ago, when lads were qualifying for the Champions League and winning leagues up here, quite a few of the lads were doing well in the Championship, so I felt it was good for us because it can only help if people are used to lifting trophies.
'When you have that feeling of celebrating it can only help because it grows and grows the more you do it.
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'I feel the more people we have with that winning mentality, playing in finals and playing in the final match of the season when you have to win, then it can only help us when things get high pressure for Scotland.
'The more who're playing in big games, when it comes to us needing to win a big game for Scotland in a qualifier, a play-off game or whatever, then we're a bit calmer because we have that experience.'
Scotland are looking to get back to winning ways at home after crashing out of the top tier of the Nations League to Greece last time out.
Robbo said: 'We learned a lot from the Greece games. In the first half of the first game we dominated and could have been two or three up but didn't take our chances. In the second half they were the better team for sure but we dug deep.
'In the second game it just looked as if we were a bit leggy watching it back. Maybe the two legs, doing the travelling, took it out of us a bit.
'The mentality, knowing what it takes in big games, that's where we have to be better. There was a lot to learn from it but we can use that experience to our advantage.'