The Scot helping set Standard Liege back on right path talks Ronny Deila, Efrain Juarez and Yaya Toure

Frazer Robertson has helped some of the most exciting talents in the Premier League become stars.

It sounds like the start of a crazy footballing riddle. When an Ivorian, two Ghanians and a Northern Irishman all hit massive goals for their clubs within a few hours of each other last Sunday what was the link?

Answer: A Scotsman plying his trade in Belgium. Few outside Scottish coaching circles will have heard of Frazer Robertson but the former St Mirren academy head coach is tearing it up at Standard Liege under Carl Hoefkens and Yaya Toure. The 42-year-old moved to the Jupiler League club last season to work with ex-Celtic boss Ronny Deila after he’d spent two years working at Philadelphia Union.

But it’s the eight years as head coach for the Right To Dream football academy in Ghana which brings us back to the riddle above and explains why the 42-year-old from Johnstone could afford to feel a huge sense of pride on Sunday evening. First came Ivory Coast ace Simon Adingra’s opener for Brighton - his second top flight goal - in the 2-2 draw with Liverpool.

Soon after that West Ham’s wonderkid Mohammmed Kudus struck a last minute leveller to earn David Moyes’ side a point against Newcastle.

Fellow Ghanian Ernest Nuamah was next as he slammed home his side’s opening goal in a 3-3 draw with Lorient - his first for his new club.

All three are graduates from the Right to Dream academy having worked closely and on a daily basis with Robertson.

And somewhere amidst all that the Scot himself was mobbing Ivory Coast icon Toure on the touchline for Standard Liege as the Belgians grabbed a last minute winner - through Northern Irish kid Price - against Brugge.

A Brugge side now managed by Deila just to complete the circle. Speaking to Record Sport as he enjoys the international break back in Ghana this week, Robertson said: “That was one of those weekends that make football so special.

“Our result was enough. What a dramatic ending. I was on top of Yaya at one point. To be fair the gaffer was away down in the corner with the boys!

“It was emotional day because Ronny was our manager last year and our boss Carl was the Brugge gaffer before Scott Parker. So there had been quite a build-up to the game.

“But yeah it was brilliant to come off our game and see what was going on elsewhere too.

“Those eight years I spent in Ghana came off the back of a call from a guy called Gareth Henderby, from the Borders, who I’d met on the A-Licence a few years ago and who worked with the Right to Dream organisation.

“We kept in touch and after mentioning to him that I’d like to live and work abroad he basically said ‘do you want to come to Ghana?’

“I went over as a coach and ended up the organisation's technical director for Ghana.

“In 2016 the organisation bought FC Nordsjaelland, lots of people think it’s the other way about, but Right to Dream bought the club and that meant my job changed slightly because I would spend half my time in Denmark with the West African players.

“Mohammed Kudus, Simon Adingra and Ernest Nuamah are just three who came through that pathway - heading to Nordsjaelland to get their first experience of professional football.

“Mohammed scored his first Premier League goal on Sunday, Simon his second and Ernest his first for Lyon.

“There were a few others I’d worked with at the academy like Southampton’s Kamaldeen Sulemana.

“These players all came through Right to Dream and Nordsjaelland before moving on. There’s a real sense of pride seeing their careers flourish.

“Another one that Aberdeen fans won’t thank me for mentioning is Ibrahim Sadiq that destroyed Aberdeen in the Europa League play-off a few weeks ago before moving to AZ the very next day.

“Ibrahim was the same age group as Kudus, they actually lived just a few streets away from each other growing up, and then came through our academy together. It’s great to see what those two have gone on to.”

Robertson’s own career path has been not to shabby either. Having come through the SFA coaching system and excelled at St Mirren the move to Ghana was only the start of his travels.

Former Rangers academy coach Tommy Wilson convinced him to leave Africa and take up a position as transition coach - helping youngsters make the move from B team to top team - at MLS side Philadelphia Union.

In January of this year, after 18 months in the States, came a call from Fergal Harkin whom he’d forged a strong relationship with during his time at Right to Dream while Harkin was at Manchester City.

The Irishman is now director of football at Liege and convinced Robertson to make the move to Belgium and help ex-Hoops boss Deila rejuvenate a fallen Liege side that had slipped to 14th in the table the previous season.

He said: “I’d met Ronny in 2015 after he’d left Celtic. Through Fergal I’d got the chance to spend four days at Valerenga where Ronny was manager.

“Ronny is a top guy and person. His man management of staff and players was excellent. He’s a really good motivator but at the same time he has a real good understanding of the game.

“Maybe he doesn’t get enough credit for being part of 9-in-a-row at Celtic.

“He took over Celtic at a difficult time and in those two years there were a lot of things he had to change and implement.

“There was a bit of a Celtic theme because Ronny’s assistant was Efrain Juarez, another top, top guy.

“Efrain was at New York City with Ronny and followed him to Standard and now Brugge.

“I hit it off with Efrain straight away. He spoke fondly of his time in Glasgow and we really worked well together.

“Of course, we had Nico Raskin. Nico left for Rangers six weeks after I arrived.

“Good guy. From seeing him around the place and speaking to the people here they thought he was a good guy.

“He was one of a few who were the top performers last season. You can see what he brings to Rangers and the qualities he has.

“Standard had gone through a couple of years of underachieving. Ronny came in and got the club back on a competitive level in the table finishing seventh before moving on to Club Brugge.

“Yaya came in with Carl in the summer. He’s a big personality but a very humble guy.

“His experience is second to none and he has been excellent in bringing that to the players, especially the young ones and midfielders. He has little nuggets, little coaching points that are top notch.

“For the length of time he played at the top level is incredible but he’s humble enough to know he’s a young coach with lots to learn.

“It’s been an unbelievable journey but I’m right at home just now in Liege. I’m under contract until 2025.

"But going right back to the start I was fortunate to work with really good people at St Mirren.

“I remember when I was about to hand in my notice that Brian McAusland, David Longwell and Brian Caldwell spoke to me. They asked what they could do to make me stay.

“But when I said I wanted to go they said they were happy for me. I’ve been so lucky to work with good people at every stage of my coaching career so far."

His vast experience of different footballing cultures has brought Robertson in touch with the good and the bad of footballing practice over the last decade or so.

The debate over Premiership B teams playing in the SPFL has rumbled on for the past three years but so far, outwith the Lowland League, the opposition to plans has curbed any move to introduce the colts to the professional ranks.

In Belgium there are four B teams including Standard competing in the second tier with no access to promotion but the very real threat of relegation giving their youngsters first hand experience of the pressures of pro football.

Robertson said: “One thing I like over here - and I know it causes debate - but it works well here, is that our B team play in the second tier.

“From a player development point of view I think that’s really good.

“It would be like playing in the Scottish Championship. I’m not saying B teams need to play in the Scottish Championship but that’s how it is here.

“You have to earn the right aswell. Ourselves, Anderlecht, Club Brugge and Genk have U23 teams in the second tier so our B team played against a side that our first team were playing last season.

“For me, that’s great. Our B team can’t be promoted but they can be relegated from that league so there’s that competitiveness aswell.

“It’s a great opportunity for the young players to have that feeling of three points at a very good level.

“I’m sure there are plenty of people here against it aswell. You can’t keep everyone happy.”