HEADING EAST

ALAN ROBERTSON HAS TAKEN THE PATH LESS TRAVELLED FOR SOUTH AFRICAN FOOTBALLERS AFTER MOVING TO ASIA

- Mark Gleeson

Alan Robertson was "falling out of love" with soccer and contemplating a future as a chartered accountant before embarking on a footballing adventure that has offered a chance for a different taste of life.

It was early 2022 when the tall centre back, whose career started at University of Pretoria before moving to Stellenbosch FC, was told his contract would not be renewed at the end of the season.

It was a blow that hit hard and left Robertson, who then just turned 28, both bemused and hurt, and needing to make a decision over his future.

He had proven a stalwart through Stellenbosch's promotion to the top flight in 2019 and then their ups and downs in the DStv Premiership as they finished 10th in their first season, then narrowly avoided relegation in their second, but were busy heading to a top-four finish when he was told his services were no longer required.

"We had a really good start to that season, and were sitting fourth, but the club informed quite a few of us that they weren't going to renew," Robertson tells SoccerClub.

"Stellies was quite taxing on me. I sort of wanted to find a love of football again and just enjoy it. For a while, I had been wanting to use football as a means to travel as well as still play at a half decent level."

Then, with a touch of serendipity. Robertson was contacted from Asia, via his LinkedIn account.