Future of George Burley

[jimmy parks]

Whit do the forum punters think of Scotland's 4-0 defeat against Norway then. Surely Burley has to go before things git ony worse. Yes I ken its early in the season but a hammering of this kind is very difficult to bare.

Sum of the selections are mind bogglin. Steven Caldwell has already been tried and found wanting and now he's suddenly considered afore Berra who was good enough to play against Holland. Graham Alexander was a good enough player but he's far too old now. If Burley wanted a decent oldie why did he discard David Weir. Darren Fletcher may be an excellent player for Man U in a grafting role but he's no use in the playmaker position. Scott Brown is a great player was plainly not match fit yet. Calum Davidson is another who has been tried and discarded but to be fair he wasn't the worst on Wednesday. And as for Gary Caldwell's sending off, words fail me . . .

[JAStewart]

George Burnley going at this moment would do nothing. Who's available for us to appoint - I mean really?

 

The last thing we want is MORE instability?

 

I think its time that we stopped blaming managers on what is essentially a lack of talent and concentration.

[tirvaluk]

None of the team were match fit, you canna blame Burley for that?

Scotland can "just" still qualify, give Burley the benefit of the doubt,

and wait till they are knocked out.

[JohanofNess]

The game was played at a time of year when the Norwegians (not all of them though) were already in league competition whereas our team were in pre season training and playing friendlies so they weren't match fit and it showed.

 

We also have to bear in mind the first choice keeper wasn't fit, half the defence was missing, mister square ball was out for being a numpty so nobody was holding onto the ball in midfield. Couple all these things together and I think San Marino would have given us a damn good fright.

 

I wasn't behind the appointment of George Burley unfortunately this country after Berti Vogts has decided we have to hire a Scottish manager and as JAStewart said who are we going to appoint?. McGhee who's managerial status is built in this country on what was basically a good half season at Motherwell, if that's what we judge a good manager on then Craig Levein or Jimmy Calderwood should get it as they finished above Motherwell last season. You might as well let Burley finish off the campaign he is only contracted to the end of it anyway and the only thing likely to get us two wins is Macedonia not turning up and Netherlands getting a rampant outbreak of the trots. If we definitely don't qualify we can ask him to go then but that brings us back to who do you give the job to that wants it and will stay in it without being lured away to club football.

[Marooned in Maywick]

And as for Gary Caldwell's sending off, words fail me . . .

 

Why?

[JAStewart]

Sorry to say, as much of tw@s as they my be, our team had a Ferguson sized hole in the middle - and why would you play a keeper who got relegated to league 1 over a keeper who won the SPL, Scottish cup and reached the european cup final recently? gah the mind boggles.

 

Marshall was unfortunate on the first goal, terrible on the second, third and he didn't even move come the fourth. Dis-grace.

[justsomeguy]

Scott Brown is a great player was plainly not match fit yet.

 

I'm sorry, but what evidence is there of this??! the Scottish media seem to think he is God but all I witnessed was him constantly misplacing passes from about 5 yards! apparently all we value in a player in Scotland now is the ability to run about a lot.

 

I think we have to stick with Burley until the bitter end, more upheaval would be the wrong way to go. Agreed that Ferguson and McGregor AND Boyd should be brought back - we NEED experience in these final two games.

 

dead and Burleyed indeed...

[shetlandbairn]

Marshall was unfortunate on the first goal, terrible on the second, third and he didn't even move come the fourth. Dis-grace.

 

I assume you're on the wind up here?

 

As for the match, the worst thing from a Scotland point of view was how much we seemed to give up when Caldwell was sent off.. how often do you see a team down to ten men get their backs against the wall and make it harder for the other team? That definitely didn't happen on Wednesday!!

 

Burley? Just don't think he commands the respect of the players. He hasn't got a lot to work with but he also doesn't use what he has in the right way. Smith and McLeish were pretty lucky to an extent but they gave themselves a chance to get that luck by playing to our strengths. A lot was made at the time of Burley's appointment about focusing on playing more attractive football... for nations like us, good football is when you win, we can't play like Holland or Brazil!!

[mr_brain]

it was one of the worst games of football i have watched - referee didnt help matters, think he was wrong to give caldwell his second yellow so soon after the first.

 

i didnt agree with some subs and formation he used in the second half... still not sure about burley but if we dont qualify the na change might be needed already!

[nessman2009]

Wee Pat said at half-time, at least tink it wis him, I wis so despondent by dat point, "WE really have had no run-o-the-ball, decisions going against us, etc., etc. for all the qualifiers" - from what I saw Caldwell got sent off (harsh probably) our heads went down and never came back up - true Scotland spirit - I think not - We need a real leader(s) on the pitch, someone to get the whole team fired up when things are supposedly against us!! Lads toughen up, learn how to pass the baw again, you're playin for Scotland for f's sake. Then out came Fletcher after the game with the same speel "referee's decisions went against us, blah, blah, blah" - get on we it, dinna blame da Ref, we wirna guid enough, end of. 2 chances for us before sending-off - didna test da keeper tho.

 

Rant over - Bring on da tulip munchers

[jimmy parks]

First of all in reply to MIM I suppose technically Caldwell may have done enough to be sent off, although it was a pretty soft affair. Think Carew made the first attempt at holding. But if you're refereeing by the letter of the law then Riise, who scored the first goal, should have been off the park as the two early tackles he committed were infinately warse then Caldwell's shirt tug.

 

On the broader front, most of you are right that Scotland have got a brawly crap team at the minute, but they have had that for some years now and Burley's predecesars, Smith and McLeash, managed to get the most out of what was at his disposal by virtue of a bit of tactical nouse.

 

Many of Burley's selections were flawed.

1. N Alexander should have been in goal.

2. Weir despite his age, should have played before S. Caldwell, who has been tried before and found to be not up to international fitba.

3. G Alexander should have been at left back, where he has done all right before, not in midfield where better players were available.

4. Hartley, a big occasion player who has rarely let Scotland down, should have played in the holding midfield roll.

5. Commons has not done enough yet to be considered a regular starter at this level.

6. McFadden, Scotland's talisman on so many occasions, should have startet.

 

As to the future G Caldwell be missing against Macedonia so it may be that Burley has to turn once again to the ever helpful Weir. It's a tough ask to beat both Macedonia, who looked fairly good against Spain on Wednesday, and Holland. We're not out of it yet but the task looks pretty impossible.

 

I'm not normally one for getting rid of managers willie nillie but if somebody is plainly not up to the task perhaps its time for an exit. Burley obviously doesn't have the respect of the senior players, otherwise the whole McCulloch, Boyd, Ferguson, McGregor thing would never have been an issue.

[Boris]

I don't think many people have much respect for Boyd, Ferguson and Macgregor either. All three should never wear the jersey again !

 

Ferguson & Macgregors display at Hampden was unforgiveable. As for Boyd I don't think he is good enough for international football and his sissy fit at not getting picked was pathetic.

[jimmy parks]

Boris wrote:

I don't think many people have much respect for Boyd, Ferguson and Macgregor either. All three should never wear the jersey again !

 

Ferguson & Macgregors display at Hampden was unforgiveable. As for Boyd I don't think he is good enough for international football and his sissy fit at not getting picked was pathetic.

 

 

I agree Boris the behaviour of all three was pathetic. The point I was trying to make was that it probably wouldn't have happened if Burley hadn't been in charge. Couldn't have seen Smith or McLeash standing for that nonsense.

[Gervais]

Scotland's attitude after going a man going down was very poor it must be said. However Norway are no mugs, can Scotland honestly say they have a single player up to the quality of any of Norway's starring quartet. Riise, Carew, Pedersen and Hangeland all consistently perform at a top level. Fletcher may argue but he hasn't got that spark in an attacking sense that Carew, Pedersen or Riise can give.

Also, I can't see any advantage that would be gained if they sacked Burley. He must be given a cance atleast until the end of the campaign.

[Frankie]

Scotland's attitude after going a man going down was very poor it must be said. However Norway are no mugs, can Scotland honestly say they have a single player up to the quality of any of Norway's starring quartet. Riise, Carew, Pedersen and Hangeland .

 

Yes,....Barry Ferguson.