Andy Robertson says Scotland team-mate Scott McTominay has shown Manchester United they were wrong to sell him to Napoli.
And he insists the midfielder ‘didn’t get the respect he deserves’ at Old Trafford prior to heading for Italy and winning the league title.
McTominay is coming off the debut season of his dreams in Serie A having scored the goal against Cagliari which propelled Antonio Conte’s side towards the scudetto.
Voted the league’s most valuable player after contributing 12 goals and six assists, the 28-year-old was sold for just £25.7million by United last year.
Liverpool full-back Robertson feels his one-time Premier League rival could have done no more to show his former club exactly what they’ve been missing.
‘I think he went over there with a point to prove,’ said the Scotland captain ahead of Friday night’s friendly with Iceland at Hampden.
McTominay celebrates the goal against Cagliari that sent Napoli on way to Serie A title
While former club Manchester United have struggled, McTominay has thrived in Italy
McTominay, far right, joins John McGinn and Tony Ralston at Scotland training
‘He wanted to prove Man Utd wrong and prove people in the Premier League wrong, and he’s gone over there and done that pretty successfully.
‘That’s credit to him, credit to his attitude and his determination to be the best version of himself.
‘Now he’s a king over there. At Man Utd he probably lacked getting that run of games consistently, he was in and out and things like that.
‘He probably didn’t get the respect he deserves.
‘Then he goes over there, puts in a magnificent season and, fair play to him, he ends it with the league title.
‘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 (Gilmour) too, so credit to the both of them for going over there, being successful and winning the trophy.’
Despite McTominay and team-mate Gilmour fervently celebrating Napoli’s fourth title, both checked in as planned this week as Scotland prepared to host the Icelanders.
Scotland captain Andy Robertson says McTominay has proved Manchester United wrong
Lewis Ferguson recently skippered Bologna to the Coppa Italia, and Roberston feels the success his international team-mates have recently enjoyed is their just reward for making such bold career moves.
‘We have seen Scott and Billy go there, we’ve seen Lewis Ferguson go there, Aaron Hickey, Che Adams,’ he said.
‘We’ve got Max Johnston playing abroad (with Sturm Graz) 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.
‘It’s credit to lads for stepping out of their comfort zone.
‘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.
‘This season has been a pretty good one on that front. Lads have played in high-pressure games, won titles and trophies. That can only help us going forward.’
McTominay poses with the scudetto and the trophy for Serie A’s most valuable player
The Scotand star has had the season of his dreams with the famous team from Naples
Scotland face Iceland before travelling to face Liechtenstein on Monday as Steve Clarke’s side look to put the disappointment of being relegated from the top tier of the Nations League in March behind them.
Having won the play-off first leg in Greece 1-0, Scotland were dismantled 3-0 at Hampden.
The World Cup qualifying campaign begins in September with an away double header against Denmark and Belarus, and Robertson believes the team will be better for the adversity they’ve experienced.
‘We learned a lot from the Greece games,’ he stressed.
‘Maybe the two legs, doing the travelling, took it out of us a bit.
‘That’s where the mentality, knowing what it takes in big games, that’s where we have to be better.
‘We have to be as fresh as we can going into that second game, dig deep when things aren’t going well.’
