Robertson sends striking reminder to Brown

IAN PAUL

17 Oct 1994

UNLIKE many players over the years who have felt aggrieved at being ignored by the international manager, John Robertson is quite willing to go public with his feelings.

The 30-year-old Hearts striker hit the winning goal in his team's 1-0 win over Celtic at the weekend and took advantage of the consequent heightened media interest to remind the world -- and Scotland coach Craig Brown in particular -- that he is alive and well and prospering in Edinburgh.

"I have been quite happy with my form this season, although there hasn't been enough goals until lately," he said.

"But when you read about Craig Brown having seven strikers in mind and you're not one of them, it is nice to give him a reminder."

Robertson, who has scored three goals in his last three games, has reached the astonishing total of 175 league goals for Hearts.

That strike against the Parkhead club at Tynecastle gave him his fourteenth goal against Celtic, but it also showed that he is regaining the sharpness that has to date earned him 11 caps for his country.

He has not played since the game against Estonia 16 months ago, when Scotland won 3-0.

"Andy Roxburgh and Craig Brown spoke to me after that game and said they thought they would find it difficult to leave me out.

But for the next game they wanted to give Scott Booth a game as it was at Aberdeen, also against Estonia."

Eight further internationals have been played since then and Robertson clearly feels disappointed.

"I have only lost once in 11 games for my country, against Germany, and even that night we should have won.

I want to stay in there."

Robertson was anxious also to make it clear that Hearts revival is not down to his efforts alone, of course.

"It has been a big team effort.

Four week ago we were bottom of the league and now we are back in the thick of things."

His goal was perhaps typical of his sharpness, diverting a Jim Bett shot out of Gordon Marshall's reach from about 12 yards.

"The boys all give me stick about this kind of thing.

They say I disappear down a molehill on the centre line and come up through another one at the six-yard line.

And then go back down it again.

But that's my living."

Meanwhile, Celtic chief executive Fergus McCann was at the centre of another controversy yesterday when a TV report claimed that he and manager Tommy Burns had been involved in a row over cash for players.

Neither Burns nor McCann was available last night to comment on the report, which suggested that the manager had wanted to pay £1.7m last week for Hearts defender Alan McLaren, but was told the money was not available.

And when Burns then allegedly asked for funds to buy McLaren's team-mate, Tosh McKinlay, instead he was also turned down by the chief executive.

Celtic's relatively restricted financial position is no secret, of course, as the cost of restructuring Parkhead and meeting huge debts left little available for player searches.

It is understood, none the less, that close to £3m was budgeted for Burns to spend.

So far he has paid £500,000 for Andy Walker, a deal that went to tribunal after Lou Macari signed the player.

Then Burns paid out £1.7m for Motherwell midfield man Phil O'Donnell.

There cannot be a great deal left in the kitty.

But it is the case that Celtic offered £1m for McLaren a few weeks ago.

Since then Rangers have become favourites to sign the international defender, but it is doubtful if they would consider going to £1.7m in a straight cash deal.

McKinlay is on a month-to-month contract at Tynecastle and could be signed any time between contracts.

Taken from the Herald