Gordon backs Burley regime

Mar 26 2008 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

CRAIG Gordon is excited at being present at the start of a new era for Scotland’s national team, but with many of his regular colleagues ruled out of the friendly with Croatia tonight, new manager George Burley is urging his stand-ins to grasp their opportunity.

The Sunderland goalkeeper will be re-united with his former club manager at Hampden Park tonight and is looking forward to the occasion, even if some of his compatriots seem less than excited.

Burley is down to just 20 fit players after a host of withdrawals but the former Roker Park full-back says his future plans will revolve around those “desperate” to be part of his plans after joining up with the squad.

Having played under Burley during his brief stint as manager of Heart of Midlothian, Gordon is one of them. Very few candidates put themselves forward for the manager’s job after Alex McLeish left to join Birmingham City, but Gordon believes the drawn-out process which produced Burley has found an ideal candidate.

“We met up with him as a squad before the Croatia game and discussed how we can move forward ahead of the next campaign,” explained Britain’s most expensive goalkeeper. “That will hopefully continue to progress the way it has been. I knew George from Hearts. I pretty much knew what his training would be like. He will do a good job, especially the other guys he has brought in.

“At Hearts there are a lot of things that have gone on, but he did a great job. We went eight straight wins in the league and that was fantastic. He was going to take the club forward and we still managed to get that second Champions League spot but fans will always wonder what might have been.

“He has always done well wherever he has been with little money. But he has always managed to get the best out of his players. That’s a good trait for an international manager.”

Rangers quartet Barry Ferguson, Lee McCulloch, Christian Dailly and Allan McGregor, Celtic’s Barry Robson, Birmingham’s James McFadden and Stephen Pearson of Derby County have all withdrawn from the original party, leaving Burley to concentrate on those who remain.

“The players here are very keyed up for the game and proud and honoured to be selected in the squad,” said Burley. “The ones who start in that line-up will be very honoured to play for their country and I’m sure that’s the only thing they are thinking about at the moment. The call-offs are gone so I’m not even thinking about that.

“We are working with 20 players who are all desperate to play and that’s the most important thing.

“The shape revolves around them and that’s where we go from here. The players here are desperate to do well for their country, both individually and as a team. They want to get involved in the squad on a regular basis for the World Cup qualifiers over the next two years.”

Burley said his own emotions would be a mixture of pride and excitement. “It is my first game as Scotland manager and it doesn’t get any better than managing your own country,” he said. “There will be nerves but excitement as well. I’ll be very proud to lead the team out.

“I want to do well and it has been great working with the squad. There is a great spirit there. I have to blend a squad good enough to try to qualify for the World Cup and that’s what it’s all about.”

Gordon was rated the Premier League’s joint best goalkeeper of the weekend for his clean sheet against Aston Villa.

His ten saves saw him match the score of Blackburn Rovers’ Brad Friedel in The Actim Index, the Premier League’s official player rating system. In the process he became Sunderland’s only player in the top 100, his 258 points putting him in 97th.

MATCH BOX

SCOTLAND (from): Gordon (Sunderland), Marshall (Norwich), McGregor (Rangers); Alexander (Burnley), Caldwell (Celtic), Dailly (Rangers), Hutton (Rangers), McEveley (Derby), McManus (Celtic), Naysmith (Sheff Utd), Weir (Rangers); Brown (Celtic), Ferguson (Rangers), Fletcher (Man Utd), Hartley (Celtic), McCulloch (Rangers), Pearson (Derby), Teale (Derby), Robson (Celtic); Beattie (West Brom) Boyd (Rangers), McFadden (Birmingham), Maloney (Aston Villa), Miller (Derby), O'Connor (Birmingham).

Match odds: H 8-5, D 11-5, A 11-8

Kick-off: Tonight 2000

TV: No live coverage