George Burley Leaves Scotland Job - What Now For Scotland?

SportTrades Adam Dennehey Writing:

In the wake of Scotland’s disappointing 3-0 defeat to Wales in Cardiff on Saturday, George Burley has again come under pressure from the SFA and we've learnt that he's now lost his job as Scotland Manager. The SFA and fans could probably just about take missing out on the World Cup but losing to a below-par Wales in such disappointing style could be the last straw. But in truth could Burley really have done better with the current crop of players. In this article, i’ll give my view on George Burley’s position as Scotland manager and the current state of the Scottish team. If you’d be kind to leave your comments that’d be great!

The Scottish football team at the moment are a side that is lacking in inspiration and one that’s lacking any real sustained class throughout the team at the moment. It could be argued that the ex-Ipswich manager has taken the team as far as they can currently go anyway and that the SFA have finally lost patience. That’s not a reflection on Burley but the fact that the Scottish game is struggling and this is being reflected in the teams performances.

Since taking over the job Burley has won only three of the fourteen games that the team has played. In those games the team has scored only 8 goals. Four of those came in 2 wins against Iceland in the World Cup Qualifying Group. Aside from those wins against Iceland, Burley has only tasted victory once more and that came against Macedonia at Hampden. The fact that the team aren’t scoring enough or creating enough chances hasn’t helped the team out. Rangers’s striker Kris Boyd has been left out of the international set up partly due to the striker not making himself available, but surley Burley could have done more to include the striker in the team.

When Burley took over there was much optimism that the side could target at least second place in their world cup qualifying group as long as they could edge out Norway. Under Walter Smith and Alex McLeish the team almost qualified for Euro 2008, being pushed into third on the final night of the group qualifying with a brave 2-1 defeat at the hands of Donadoni’s Italy at Hampden in November 2007. It was a glorious ‘failure’ for the Scots, whose performances were nothing short of exceptional. Had it not been for a poor performance in Georgia and some poor officiating in Ukraine the Scots could have possibly won the group.

With McLeish moving onto Birmingham City, a new manager was needed. There was talk of Graeme Souness, Mark McGhee and even George Graham taking over but the SFA went to Burley with the aim of getting the team to the 2010 World Cup. At the time of his appointment, many people believed that Burley wasn’t the first choice for the job with candidates, but that he could slowly move the team forward.

Sadly that hasn’t been the case for Burley, as the team just hasn’t got to grips with games since his appointment. He certainly hasn’t been helped by the fact that the team is lacking talent and that wasn’t helped by the actions of Alan McGregor and Barry Ferguson who have since been dropped from the team for disciplinary reasons. Both players were rightfully dropped for their part in a late-night drinking session after Holland beat the team 3-0 in Amsterdam and for subsequent hand gestures made from the bench during the win over Iceland at Hampden. Of course players are responsible for their actions but after their actions after the Holland game, the players shouldn’t have been allowed on the bench for the Iceland game and been thrown out of the squad there and then.

Burley is a decent manager at heart, but a manager is only as good as his players. The current group of players are inexperienced overall with not alot of the squad having played European football. Darren Fletcher is doing a good job as the skipper and is players who any manager can help build a team around. James McFadden and Scott Brown aside there is very little imagination in the side and as a result the team is struggling when it really matters. This is a reflection on the Scottish game which is getting worse by the year; this is being highlighted by Celtic and Rangers performances in Europe this year. Rangers 4-1 home defeat at Ibrox to Dan Petrescu’s Unirea Urziceni was nothing short of a national embarrassment.

During and after the Wales game, the Scottish fans in attendance at the game could be heard jeering the team and calling for Burley to quit. The Tartan-Army have lost faith in Burley and although it’s perhaps harsh on the manager, the SFA are right to make a new start. The SFA have to make a decision and whoever the next manager will be, he has to be given time to build a team that can challenge for a play off place for Euro 2012. Scotland will be seeded in the 3rd spot in the team so when the draw’s made the team will be on the back foot straight away.

First things first the new manager needs to improve the fitness and team spirit of the team, which should ensure Scotland put in respectable performances and beat sides that they are expected to beat. Only then can the team move forward as it's looking more likley that it could be another decade before the team reach a major finals. My choice for the new manager would be Jimmy Calderwood who did a fine job managing Aberdeen and has the experience over the other leading contender in Craig Levein of Dundee United.