This is the last article you can read this month
You can read more article this month
You can read more articles this month
Sorry your limit is up for this month
Reset on:
Please help support the Morning Star by subscribing here
FORMER Scotland manager George Burley believes the Scottish Football Association have unrealistic expectations and branded the decision to dispense with Alex McLeish as “ridiculous.”
McLeish’s second spell as national team boss ended with the sack following just 12 games in charge after SFA board members gathered for a meeting at Hampden this morning.
Burley, who managed his country between 2008 and 2009, feels Scotland have a shortage of top-quality players and thinks both McLeish and his predecessor Gordon Strachan have been harshly treated.
“I don’t know what the SFA are expecting. Unfortunately over the last 10, 20 years Scotland hasn’t had the squad strong enough to win regularly at international level and that’s the reality,” Burley said.
“It’s sad really. When you keep changing like this it is ridiculous because they are going nowhere if they haven’t got a structure and a plan and the continuity to bring young players through.
“Gordon Strachan did a fantastic job as well.
“I think whoever’s making the decisions at the SFA has got to look at it and think: ‘We’ve got to plan here, we’ve got to try and build’ and not just keep changing managers and blaming the managers because you can’t go and buy a player or go and loan one.
“I feel sorry for Alex, it shouldn’t have happened. No matter who is in charge, you are only as good as the squad you’ve got.”
Burley, who played alongside McLeish at the 1982 World Cup, says his former teammate’s replacement must be a long-term appointment.
“Whoever it’s going to be, it’s got to be for the future,” he said.
“He’s got to be given time and if he has a few bad results, so what?”
Steve Clarke, who manages Boyd at Kilmarnock, has been touted as a potential successor to McLeish.
But Kille captain Boyd is unsure whether his club boss would be interested in the role.
“I don’t know if that’s something that he will want to do. He’s been linked with a few jobs down south, bottom of the Premier League, Championship,” said Boyd.
“He might want to stay in the day-to-day side of football.”
