ANDY ROBERTSON says Steve Clarke’s Scotland stars are motivated to reach the World Cup for HIM.
Clarke starts his final qualification campaign as international boss against Denmark on Friday night.
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His contract runs out after six years – with skipper Robbo desperate to lead the team to the USA, Canada and Mexico next summer.
He said: “I think as it stands it is his last campaign because of the contract situation.
“Obviously we don’t know our situation. It will depend on how we are performing at 36 or 37, but his is a contract.
“Whatever happens in the future, we don’t know.
“He’s been unbelievable for Scotland.
“He’s helped us massively to achieve our dreams because when he took over, we hadn’t been to a tournament since 1998.
“Never mind a World Cup, we’ve hadn’t never been to Euros and now we’ve been to two.
“We’ve gained experience and we’ve had so many highs. Okay, we’ve had some lows, but I think that’s part and parcel of it.
“So, without him, none of that would have been possible.
“We wouldn’t have been able to achieve our dreams of playing at a major tournament with the country and I’ll be forever grateful for him.
“I was captain before he came in but he’s really helped me be able to achieve the dream of being captain at a major tournament and also captain my country in massive games, and even qualifying campaigns and being able to achieve good results.
“So, he’s been great. And if it is his last World Cup campaign, then, of course, it’s extra motivation for us.
“Some of the mainstays are getting a bit older and if it’s going to be our last World Cup campaign then there’s motivation as well.
“But I think when you cross the white lines, just the motivation of getting to World Cup’s enough.
“And I think we’re just excited and ambitious to try and get to World Cup as a collective. And I think that’s motivation enough.”
Robbo is also desperate to play in a World Cup before he hangs up his boots.
He added: “Obviously I’m 31 now, I’m not getting any younger.
“You don’t know where your career is going to go.
“Hopefully it’s not my last but at the next World Cup campaign I will be 36 and you will all have written me off by then and probably other people will have written me off as well.
“Obviously I’ve been through World Cup campaigns already and I’ve come close and not quite managed it.
“If I look back on my career I’ve achieved a helluva lot, a lot of stuff that I’m really proud of.
“But it’s one thing that’s clearly missing. It would be amazing to do that.
“I am of an era that I remember the 1998 World Cup, briefly, I was only four and a bit.
“That was obviously the last time we were there.
“It’s something we want to provide for the Tartan Army and for ourselves.
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“We want to be involved in it because it’s the pinnacle of your career and we obviously have another chance now to do that.
“If we can do it there won’t be anyone prouder and more excited for a World Cup than me.”
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