SPORTS DIGEST: Madrid move could be coming at the right time for Scotland skipper Robertson

Scotland fans may have been surprised last week to read that Andy Robertson had emerged as a target for Atletico Madrid.

The Spanish side are reportedly confident of getting a deal done for the left-back, 31, who won his second Premier League title with Liverpool last season.

While it may be disappointing for Scots to see the national team skipper move abroad, it’s in fact a move that could make perfect sense for all parties.

Liverpool are expected to complete a £45m deal for Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez, who they hope will be Robertson’s long-term successor at left-back. The Scot’s contract at Anfield is also up after the coming season.

‘I’m not getting any younger,’ he recently said when asked about his future on Merseyside. ‘I can’t change my age, but I’ve got a lot to give. We’ve had good discussions, me and the club, but what the future holds, I’m not sure.’

A move to Diego Simeone’s side would pretty much guarantee Robertson regular first-team football in both La Liga and the Champions League, which would be good news for the Tartan Army, considering the former Queen’s Park and Dundee United man would likely be playing second fiddle to Kerkez should he remain at Anfield.

An £8m signing from Hull City in 2017, Robertson has won it all at Liverpool; two league titles, the Champions League, an FA Cup, two League Cups. What a signing he’s been. But all good things come to an end and the time feels right for him to move on.

Some Reds fans felt his performances dipped slightly last season and that’s natural; he’s perhaps past his prime but still has plenty to offer at club and international level. He still made 45 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions, while also increasing his Scotland cap total to 84, third on the all-time list behind Jim Leighton (91) and Kenny Dalglish (102).

A move to Madrid could prove ideal for Robertson as he looks to prolong his career at the highest level and chase down that caps record.

Askou faces tough challenge at Motherwell

Motherwell deserve credit for thinking outside the box once again when it comes to their managerial position.

The Steelmen club last week appointed Jens Berthel Askou as their new boss to replace the departed Michael Wimmer.

The Dane has previously managed in his homeland, as well as the Faroe Islands and Sweden, with his most recent post being assistant boss at FC Copenhagen.

Given Askou’s unheralded status and that his last job as a manager ended around a year ago at IFK Goteburg, his appointment doesn’t come without risk. Just a quick glance at the Fir Park outgoings so far this summer will only serve to underline that fact.

The club confirmed earlier this week that Harry Paton, Steve Seddon, Davor Zdravkovski and Moses Ebiye were the latest to leave following the expiry of their contracts. That quartet had a combined 107 appearances last season.

That news follows on from the previous departures of defenders Shane Blaney and Dan Casey, as well as Ross Callachan and Mark Ferrie. 10 loan players have also returned to their parent clubs after spells in Lanarkshire.

What’s more, the future of club captain Lennon Miller is still up in the air amid interest from several big sides.

The departures leave a lot of minutes to be filled. So far, the only arrivals have been former Dundee defender Jordan McGhee and Austrian midfielder Lukas Fadinger from SCR Altach.

Youth development is always going to be key at a club like Motherwell and Askou is perhaps going to have to rely on younger players, especially in the early going. The Dane’s previous experience in this regard should prove vital.

‘I’ve given 25 or 26 under-19 players their first game in my five-and-a-half years as a head coach,’ he said this week. ‘I know what it’s like and I love seeing young people develop and thrive.’

Askou will take charge for the first time in just a few weeks, as the Steelmen get their Premier Sports Cup campaign underway against Clyde on July 12. It certainly sounds like the club’s young players will get opportunities early on as the new manager looks to get off to a good start.

It’s perhaps not surprising to see a clear-out at Fir Park given another bottom-half finish, but rebuilding is always hard, particularly for a manager who is just in the door. In Askou, the Steelmen hope they have the right man for the challenges ahead.

Bannigan’s departure is latest blow for Jags

It’s never boring at Partick Thistle but while talking points are plentiful at Firhill this summer, reasons to be cheerful are not.

It’s been a whirlwind month or so for the Jags since their campaign ended with defeat to Livingston in the Premiership play-off semi-final.

The club appeared to botch the appointment of a permanent manager, alienating Brian Graham - who has now left for Falkirk - by speaking to external candidates before offering their goal centurion the job. After he rejected it, the club turned to his previous co-interim boss Mark Wilson.

There has also been verbal sparring between the board and fan ownership group The Jags Foundation, all the while sporting director Ian Baraclough is recovering from serious injuries sustained in an accident on holiday, and the club are awaiting the outcome of an SFA charge relating to fan trouble during their play-off win over Ayr United.

But the playing squad is currently the biggest issue at Firhill, and the departure of a club legend has added to fans’ concerns.

After making more than 400 appearances over 15 years, Stuart Bannigan joined Championship rivals Ayr this week. Thistle had been keen to hold on to the midfielder, but they couldn’t agree on an extension, the veteran instead signing a one-year deal with Scott Brown’s side.

At 32 years old, Bannigan clearly still has plenty to offer. He was a near-constant as his side once again came close to promotion and won the club’s player of the month award three times in a row from November to January last season.

Supporters were understandably unhappy at the news, particularly coming in the wake of Graham’s departure. It leaves the team with a huge gap to fill in terms of experience and leadership. Fans were also angered that official word from the club came almost an hour after Ayr had announced Bannigan’s signing.

With a pair of fans’ favourites now gone, on top of the other issues in Maryhill, it adds to the suspicion that it could be a long season for the Firhill faithful.

End of Accies’ problems... or just the beginning?

When it comes to lower league drama, Hamilton are still miles ahead of Partick Thistle.

On Thursday, Accies confirmed their move to Broadwood Stadium for the next two years. It has come at a cost, they admitted, and in amongst some bold words about fighting for the future, there was also an apology to their supporters. And quite right, too.

The embattled Lanarkshire club have been mired in financial and ownership difficulties, and were demoted from the Championship last month after incurring a 15-point deduction for breaching multiple SPFL rules.

Amid the turbulence, Accies opted to leave New Douglas Park due to a dispute over stadium ownership.

Their request to play their home games at Broadwood in Cumbernauld was passed by the SPFL with a two-year lease - and the option of a third year if necessary - agreed with North Lanarkshire Council.

‘This relocation has not been undertaken lightly,’ read a statement confirming the move. ‘As part of our agreement, the club was required to commit to paying a full year of rental, operational, and security costs upfront, a significant financial obligation that has had immediate consequences for our liquidity.

‘We understand the emotional impact this temporary move may have. We apologise to our loyal supporters for the inconvenience, but we promise this: we will fight for our future.’

Without the supporters, they will have no future so let’s hope they can somehow get the fans back onside.