It speaks to the classy nature of Andy Robertson that, on the day of his own farewell at Anfield, he found the time to eulogise two other departing long-time stalwarts at rival clubs.
As the Scot and Mo Salah were given a rousing send-off by the adoring Liverpool fans on Sunday in their final game for the club, there were a few other poignant farewells across the Premier League yesterday as well.
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Seamus Coleman played his last match for Everton after 17 years with the club, while Pep Guardiola brought the curtain down on his vastly successful decade as Manchester City manager, in which he twice saw off the Reds in title races which went to the final day.
Robertson praises Guardiola and Coleman
Speaking to Sky Sports after Liverpool’s 1-1 draw against Brentford, Robertson was keen to recognise the contributions of that duo as the longest active playing and managerial streaks with one club in the Premier League both ended on Sunday.
The 32-year-old said: “There’s two other people leaving other clubs today that are pretty important. Pep Guardiola pushed us to completely new limits, and probably we should have won more Premier Leagues if it wasn’t for that man. What a servant to Manchester City and I wish him all the best.
“Finally, Seamus Coleman, I think when I was growing up he was one of the Premier League full-backs that was really at a very, very high level, and he was certainly a better bargain than me at 60 grand! Obviously he’s leaving Everton and he’s been a fantastic servant for that football club and I wish him all the best as well.”
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Typically classy words from Robertson
It says a lot about Robertson that, on a day where most of the attention at Anfield was focused on him and Salah, he’d be so eager to praise the contributions of an Everton stalwart and a manager with whom we’ve shared so many epic battles.
Although Man City’s achievements in the past few years continue to have the shadow of 115 charges hanging over them, Guardiola’s trophy-laden CV speaks for itself, and only the sheer relentlessness of their 2018/19 and 2021/22 vintage denied Liverpool two more Premier League titles.
As for Coleman, his £60,000 transfer from Sligo Rovers in 2009 will go down as one of the all-time great bargains in English football, with the Republic of Ireland defender holding the record for most Premier League appearances for Everton (374).
Like Robertson, the 37-year-old is a distinguished full-back who carries himself with the utmost humility and has become an iconic figure at a Merseyside club.
The Irishman has been offered a coaching position by the Toffees, with no decision yet as to whether or not he’ll take it up, and it’ll be compelling to see where his Scottish counterpart goes next after nine exceptional years at Liverpool.
