One by one, Jurgen Klopp’s golden boys are waving goodbye. A band of brothers that awoke a sleeping giant at Anfield, transforming Liverpool from doubters to believers and winners again, are slowly bidding farewell.
Of the XI that won the 2019 Champions League final against Tottenham, two at most will remain next term: Alisson – and his future is in the balance, given advanced interest from Juventus – and Virgil van Dijk, whose contract expires in 12 months.
Mohamed Salah will depart after Sunday’s final Premier League game at home to Brentford and so too will Andy Robertson.
Does anyone sum up this era at Liverpool better than the flying Scotsman? Signed from Hull for £8million in 2017 – loose change for a Premier League giant in this day and age – he is everything their famed data-led Moneyball-style model was about.
In his final interview before he leaves – he is far from done, with a first World Cup to look forward to – Robertson reflects on all of that, especially the infallible belief Klopp’s great team had.
‘I’ve had so many moments which I’m very grateful and lucky to have had,’ he says.
Andy Robertson will end his glittering career at Liverpool on Sunday ahead of a free transfer
‘The Champions League final (in 2019) sticks out, that whole day, night, and then the parade the next day… doing it with your best mates. That was the best 24 to 48 hours of my life – apart from my kids and my marriage, I need to put that on record! That was unbelievable.
‘Last season, the Tottenham game (when Liverpool won 5-1 to be confirmed as champions) was unbelievable; having that moment in front of your fans, getting to clinch the league.
‘We didn’t get that in 2020 (they lifted the title behind closed doors due to Covid) so to have that meant a lot. In the nine years, apart from the last couple of weeks, that was the only time I allowed myself to reflect because there was part of me that was gutted the 2019-20 lads didn’t get to experience it. I wish we had got to experience that but I also knew how grateful and lucky me and Trent (Alexander-Arnold) were that we were the ones that got to live it.
‘We were on this most amazing journey ever, all together. When we started out on the journey, Mo Salah didn’t sign as the best winger in the world. Virgil van Dijk had the potential but he wasn’t the best centre back in the world. Alisson wasn’t the world’s best goalkeeper, Trent wasn’t the best right back in the world. All these lads were just coming through: Hendo was still finding his feet as captain.
‘We were all on this journey from the bottom to the top and climbing the mountain was the best feeling because every day we knew we were getting better and better and starting to click as a team. That was the best thing.
‘I always go back to that time; we’d beat teams in the tunnel. We went into games not with an arrogance, it was just, “There’s no way we can get beat if we perform the way we can’ and we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to perform to the highest level. More often than not, we did”.’
Asked if it feels different now, Robertson says: ‘In terms of the club I am leaving behind, we are not at the 2017 stage, we are at the transition stage. We won the league last year. The environment was very similar.
‘We had to go at 100 per cent in every game and the messages were clear from the manager, the backroom staff. We wanted to achieve something special.
Last season Robertson won his second Premier League title but 12 months on it’s a lot different
‘This year hasn’t worked out for a variety of reasons. It is not an excuse, but what we went through in the summer (the death of team-mate Diogo Jota), no team will ever go through. No member of staff will go through.
‘I hope they never go through it because the devastation… football didn’t matter. We didn’t care about football for weeks. None of us wanted to train. You were getting treatment off physios and physios didn’t want to treat you.
‘As footballers we then have a duty, we have to move on, keep going and we managed that. We started the season fairly well although it was still an emotional time. The Bournemouth game was ridiculously emotional with all of Jots’ family there. But the season has been inconsistent.
‘We bought players we all got excited about, and they will all have an unbelievable career at Liverpool. But they are young. I have seen more than enough in training, games and their attitude (to know) they will be successful. But they need a little bit of time.
‘Then some players who have played at a ridiculously high level, we haven’t played to that. If you add all that in, we have had an inconsistent season and that is frustrating. We have been too easy to play against. But Liverpool have more than enough in that changing room to go and achieve more things again.’
Robertson has had a mural across from Anfield dedicated to him and will be part of a special celebration after the match against Brentford on Sunday. Old mate Alexander-Arnold was among those to wish him well and a gift included a picture of the pair with a message on it.
The Scot won the 2019 Champions League with the Reds – a moment that sticks out for him
The 32-year-old, who has held talks with Tottenham over a free transfer, wants his future sorted before he flies to the United States to lead his country into a first World Cup in a generation.
On his exit, he says: ‘Everyone’s gutted when you leave Liverpool. But you can have a huge sense of pride. I’ve given everything to this club. When I first walked through that door that is what I wanted the most.
‘I didn’t know if I was going to be successful, if I was going to be good enough or if I would win trophies. But what I did promise myself was I’m going to give 100 per cent every day to have the best possible chance. That’s what I’m most proud about.
‘Everything that followed in terms of trophies and the amazing nights I’ve had, and my performances, I’m very proud of how it all went.’
