Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterScotland head to their first World Cup since France 98 this summer and for skipper Andy Robertson, manager Steve Clarke deserves huge amounts of credit for transforming the mentality and consistancy of the side.Clarke took over the Scottish national side in 2019 and has put an end to a cycle of failed qualification campaigns and has the Tartan Army hopeful of progressing out of the World Cup group stage for the first time in their history.Robertson, who made his international debut in 2014, has been a key part of this transitional era and believes that the mood around the squad this summer is completely different to the one he first entered. You may like Scotland World Cup 2026 squad: Steve Clarke's latest selection ahead of March internationals When we qualified for the World Cup, there was a part of me that felt Diogo Jota was looking over us Andy Robertson on the World Cup bond he formed with his tragic former Liverpool team-mate To even be in the conversation of trying to catch Kenny Dalglishs cap record our greatest player of all time is a bit surreal Andy Robertson on chasing down the Liverpool and Scotland legend Robertson on how Clarke has changed Scotlands mentalityFourFourTwo's essential 2026 World Cup pack!Get your hands on the newest issue of FourFourTwo - our ultimate World Cup pack! Featuring: Englands American dream, Jordan Pickford and Morgan Rogers, Scotlands return, Mauricio Pochettino Q&A, biggest upsets plus a huge wallchart and preview special!View DealReflecting on Clarkes arrival as boss, Robertson believes that one of the 62-year-olds priorities was to increase the squads experience at the highest level.When he first came in, what he wanted was more international experience, the Liverpool defender explains to FourFourTwo.If you look at his first squad, the amount of caps we had wasnt a lot. Sometimes he gets criticised for picking the same players, but now we have a squad with international experience, which is quite hard to get and keep together.Now we have a squad thats desperate to meet up at every training camp, and doesnt want to give a yard. Everybody wants to show up and give their best for their country. Thats down to the manager.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.I think its a collective effort in terms of the quality of players weve got, but it starts and ends with the manager in terms of what he envisaged, and hes seen that through.Now we have more experience at international level, that can help you when times get tough, to get over the line in certain games. Thats been a large part of why weve been so good in qualifying campaigns. We know how to win games at this level.Robertson has also hailed Clarkes behind-the-scenes management style, with last autumns pivotal win over Denmark which sealed their place in this summers tournament a key example of what the boss does well.A lot of people talk about his pre-match meeting before Denmark, he adds. It was a huge game we knew that if we won, wed qualify for our first World Cup in so long.His team talk in the hotel before we left was inspirational it was emotional, and maybe you dont see that side of him too often. He went into his life journey and our journey together as a team, where weve been and where we want to go, and that really set the tone for that nights game.I already believed it was going to be a special night, but after leaving that meeting and getting on the bus, I didnt think anything was going to get in our way.TOPICSScotlandWorld Cup 2026Joe MewisSocial Links NavigationFor more than a decade, Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor. Mewis has had stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others and worked at FourFourTwo throughout Euro 2024, reporting on the tournament. In addition to his journalist work, Mewis is also the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team. Now working as a digital marketing coordinator at Harrogate Town, too, Mewis counts some of his best career moments as being in the iconic Spygate press conference under Marcelo Bielsa and seeing his beloved Leeds lift the Championship trophy during lockdown.With contributions fromAlasdair Mackenzie
