World Cup qual. - Burley slams traitor Boyd

Eurosport - Mon, 13 Oct 18:31:00 2008

Scotland manager George Burley insists he only needs players who will "fight for the cause" after Kris Boyd quit the international scene.

2008 Scotland George Burley - 0

The Rangers striker said he would no longer play for Burley after spending the entirety of the goalless World Cup qualifier against Norway on Saturday on the bench.

Burley questioned how much Boyd cared for his country.

"Kris is disappointed not to play but this is your country you're talking about," Burley said.

"I've never had a cross word with Kris. They come in, stay at five-star hotels, in this day and age they have massive wages.

"How much do you care? You don't need to like everybody. This is your country.

"Okay, he didn't get on but the only way Kris Boyd is going to get in the team is playing regularly, showing what he can do, coming into the squad and looking lively and bright - and better than the other strikers. That's how you get in the team.

"You have got to show that passion and if you don't want to show it, you make that decision that you want to step out, fine.

"We have big games coming up, people might think we are out of it but we're not, we are in second position.

"We need people wanting to fight for the cause, go to war for the country. Roll your sleeves up and go for it."

Burley brought on strikers Chris Iwelumo and Steven Fletcher, who had one cap between them, early in the second half of the Hampden clash against Norway.

Iwelumo went on to miss an open goal from three yards as Boyd, with seven goals from his 15 caps, sat on the bench contemplating his international future.

The draw left Scotland with four points from three games but Burley stood by his decision.

"The combination I sent on in the second half on Saturday worked very well," he added.

Burley said on Saturday evening that Boyd had to prove himself at Rangers, where he is not an automatic first choice despite being the club's top scorer for the past three seasons.

Boyd, who has played a total of 28 minutes under Burley in two of the manager's six games in charge, claimed it was pointless turning up.

The 25-year-old said earlier: "It's nothing personal between him and me. It is purely down to football reasons.

"I'm obviously not in his plans, so there is no point in my being there."

Boyd's Ibrox team-mate Lee McCulloch, 30, who had not featured under Burley, last month announced his international retirement.

Sporting Life / Eurosport

Comment 50 - 69 of 69

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  1. for boyd to quit scotland a lot of people dont seem to care but have a lot to say goals win games?
    remember mcoist.

    From geo, on Wed 22 Oct 1:34PM

  2. commnent 50 where was i talkin about jamie carragher?.AS for boyd not saying he wrong to do that but i also said he should have been in from start on a game we needed to win at this time hes scotlands top scorer what else does he have too do!!!.darren fletcher i think stilll needs to prove himself in scotland jersey!.what other options is there what scotland front man is banging the goals in just now?.

    From william, on Wed 15 Oct 9:05PM

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    From go to www.premiership.altervista.org, on Tue 14 Oct 2:56PM

  4. burley out,was sacked by ayr united,did nothing with ipswich,boyd's record speaks for itself,bring in @#$% advocaat as scotland manager,knows all about scottish football,has a excellent track record,and have john collins or gary mcallister as his number 2.

    From Derek, on Tue 14 Oct 2:35PM

  5. Completely agree with the sentiment regarding loyalty and national pride. What Kris Boyd has done is petulant and childish. He needs to grow up. Managers make decisions which are unpopular. A player should get on with it. When all is said and done Kris Boyd isn't much of a loss with that attitude. However I hope Mr Burley keeps his comments in mind when he gets a better offer. McLeish, Smith and McCoist happily turned their backs on their country when it suited them!!

    From Jane, on Tue 14 Oct 12:19PM

  6. i think boyd needs to move on and try and get regular games,but i dont know if that will do him any good, what makes him think the next scotland manager will play him, what does he say about getting left on the bench at rangers,

    From THE HOOPS, on Tue 14 Oct 10:26AM

  7. comment 60 does that mean he does not need to turn up for rangers cause he does not get picked there ither.we all know he scores goals, so WHY is he getting left out if you look back over the years how many managers of rangers have left him out and when mcleish was scotland manager he left him out too, WHY. they must all know something we dont.

    From THE HOOPS, on Tue 14 Oct 10:22AM

  8. comment 50 he sits on the bench of the team he loves, lol

    From THE HOOPS, on Tue 14 Oct 10:16AM

  9. doubt it!

    From doubt.it.man, on Tue 14 Oct 9:44AM

  10. If Kris Boyd is not doing enough even to command a consistent start with Rangers then why did Burley pick him. If Boyd is not doing the business then you leave him out don't embarass him by just leaving him on the bench. As for Burley to be so clever (which is something he isn't) and accuse Boyd of being a traitor, he should be careful. Also Burley is not a successful manager and how many clubs has he been too in those 18 years as a manager. He's Scotlands manager purely because there is no one else. Burley should shut telling people how clever he is and get on with the job which has already proved he is no good at, also should learn more about man management skills.

    From r.j.hall@..., on Tue 14 Oct 9:35AM

  11. Fu**ing right boydy my son!! OUT WITH BURLEY (wa**er).
    Boyd would've scored that "miss" with 2 broken legs.
    And Boyd is right, if he's never going to get picked. Why turn up?
    Steven Fletcher? ? ? good prospect but compared with Boyd ? ?
    Iwelumo? ? ? Dont even know if he's good because av never heard o the c**t?
    BURLEY OUT!! BURLEY OUT!! BURLEY OUT!!
    F**K OFF BACK TO IPSWICH YA PR**K.
    .........Gutted scot............

    From Derek, on Tue 14 Oct 9:33AM

  12. At the end of the day you only need players that have the desire and determination to represent their country. To walk away because you are on the bench feeling that it is not fair can never be a justifiable excuse. Maybe his actions actually support the reason why he is on the bench in the first place. Clearly a very good player maybe wrong mentality.

    From faulknerflowers, on Tue 14 Oct 6:35AM

  13. At the end of the day, who wants to remain part of an outfit when it is clear that the agenda is not for them. Boyd went as he felt and still feels like the 5th choice and I don't blame him for that. I mean, if Burley really wanted a result then Kris Boyd wouldn't have been on the bench at all. It is clear that Burley has another agenda which doesn't involve Boyd.

    From sappercommando25, on Tue 14 Oct 6:08AM

  14. SO KRIS BOYD IS LAZY, DOES WORK BACK, MAKE TACKLES OR ANYTHING REALLY BUT AND IT IS A BIG BUT HE CAN FINISH. SCOTT BROWN DOES EVERYTHING BOYD DOESN'T HOWEVER NO-ONE NEEDS REMINDING THAT WE DIDN'T SCORE. SO WHY NOT PLAY HIM WHAT HAVE WE TO LOSE

    From davy.temp28@..., on Tue 14 Oct 2:49AM

  15. Boyds wrong for walking out on Scotland but Burley is the wrong man for the job

    how can he justify picking Shaun Maloney in the 1st round of games (Macedonia & Iceland) purely on the basis he left Aton Villa for Celtic then leave him on against Norway even though he decided he was too good to pass the ball

    however with that said, If Iwelumo had buried "the chance" there wouldnt be all this debate

    From Kris, on Tue 14 Oct 12:22AM

  16. You live by the sword and you die by the sword. Burley ALMOST made a genius sub but instead it turned out to be the Disater must of us thought it would be. Therefore he should be apologising to the nation for getting it 100% wrong instead of saying his subs looked lively! Took tooo long to get away from 4-5-1 and attack. Dont know if its time for him to go yet but if we dont finish 2nd he should have the dignity to walk away.

    Furthermore to slag off Boyd's career of sitting on then bench was a pretty poor comment for somebody who seems to of got the job based on 10 games at hearts!

    From gordonderekfisher, on Tue 14 Oct 12:06AM

  17. very impressive stats. iwelmo has scored 8 goals in 7 statrs this season already so he is also on form and, i say again, he is playing every week

    From roundboy, on Tue 14 Oct 12:06AM

  18. roundboy just take one little sneek peek at his goal scoring record. Yeah you know that little thing you need to win games goals. 1 every 1.5 games for rangers and 1 evey 2 for scotland. you dont have to be that smart to do the math

    From fraser968@..., on Mon 13 Oct 11:47PM

  19. fraser, Iwelmo is playing every week. It is the Championship i know but apart from Rangers and Celtic then there is no other team in Scotland that would do well in the Championship. Iwelmo was nervous on saturday and yes he should have scored but he didnt. Boyd cant get a game for Rangers so why should he be played. He cant be match fit or sharp if he isnt playing so why oh why put him on.

    From roundboy, on Mon 13 Oct 11:12PM

  20. Comment 48, im laughing at you... is Jamie Carragher someone who lacks heart and passon also? He done exactly the same thing with England!

    Burley wants players who play week in week out aswell eh? yeah, cos Darren 'the captain' Fletcher is the first name on Fergie's team sheet aint he?

    I'm 100% behind Boyd, he has nothing to prove to no one, his record speaks for its self. SPL or not he can only play whats infront of him! He's a Rangers fan, he plays for the team he loves.

    At the end of the day burley cleary has other options available, the day you become 5th choice is the day anyone would walk away!

    From ally12345uk@..., on Mon 13 Oct 9:58PM
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