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 30 - 49 of 69

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  1. terry butcher for scotland

    From stephen, on Mon 13 Oct 9:52PM

  2. i think burley is wrong man for scotland yeah boyd wrong to turn back on country but he just wants to play and he scores goals proven!!!!he would have scored that goal on sat!!.why would you leave a guy who scores goals on the bench knowin u need somethin from the game!!!.i think jim jeffries the man who should have been in job!.

    From william, on Mon 13 Oct 9:32PM

  3. Ok roundboy work harder and be better get picked. Two nobodys with no goals and 90 minutes between them that sounds better wake up

    From fraser968@..., on Mon 13 Oct 9:15PM

  4. It aint always about how hard you work. The guy gets paid to score goals period. If you want more get an attacking midfielder. Football has nothing to do with it burley and smith both have something against him.

    From fraser968@..., on Mon 13 Oct 9:09PM

  5. does nobody seem to think there is something wrong with boyd as the last 3 rangers and 2 scotland managers have not played him, so what is wrong with boyd,

    From THE HOOPS, on Mon 13 Oct 9:08PM

  6. comment 16, you sound like a racist with that comment.

    From THE HOOPS, on Mon 13 Oct 9:06PM

  7. HE should stay and fight for his place cause its his country that he is representing.IF he has any pride and faith in himself he should prove burley wrong and prove he is as good as he thinks he is and as good as he has shown he can be.

    From peter m, on Mon 13 Oct 9:00PM

  8. Oh come on fraser, this aint no 9-5 @#$% job man. This is being part part of your national team. If Boyd doesnt want to stay and fight for his place then screw him. We dont need anyone like him anyway. I admire him for the fact that he is upset at not playing but he is going about it the wrong way.This is or should be every little Scottish kids dream. To play for Scotland. What kid hasnt dreamed about that, ok so he isnt getting picked to play, tough. He should work harder and be better than everyone else, thats how you get picked.

    From roundboy, on Mon 13 Oct 8:59PM

  9. I'll say it again!
    Boyd should NEVER be picked to represent his country again!
    He IS a traitor and Rangers should cancel his contract immediately; if he played for my club, i would certainly want him shipped out, as i'd be too ashamed.

    From cameron w, on Mon 13 Oct 8:51PM

  10. why the hell should boyd stay and fight for something that aint there. 28 minutes in 6 game aint worth fightin for. WOULD YOU DO IT. Passed over for two nobody's aint his fault that smith and burley dont like him. Shut your holes cause you would all do the same in his position. Would you stand to be passed over time and time again at your own job. THINK NOT

    From fraser968@..., on Mon 13 Oct 8:37PM

  11. why is everyone having a go at BURLEY?what about the scotland captain that is out injured and hutton 2 great players we are missing:but back to boyd,you have to want to play for your country,IF i had as much talent as these guys i would bend over backwards just to warm the bench and still be proud to be part of the SCOTLAND let me say again SCOTLAND SQUAD AND TEAM.cheer on the team bozd and be proud to be scottish not a spoilt kid.what these guys forget they live the dream of all of us to play for your country should be an HONOUR,and these guys get paid to do it,@#$% most of us average guys would do it for free.grow up boyd, and come on SCOTLAND no @#$% about 2nd place,we are SCOTLAND we should believe we can finish 1st in the group anything else is just negative and we should give up like BOYD.

    From peter m, on Mon 13 Oct 8:35PM

  12. What a crock of @#$% you lot are writing. Boyd cant get a game for Rangers so why should he be an automatic pick. Iwelmu is knocking the goals in at Wolves so yes he should be given a chance. Ok it may only be in the Championshipbut that is more competitive than the joke they call the SPL. Yes I am Scottish and proud of the fact but lets be honest, unless there is a radical change in the SPL to make it more competitive it will always be a joke and Scottish club teams and the national team will always be playing catch up with the rest of Europe.

    From roundboy, on Mon 13 Oct 8:32PM

  13. George Burley is proving just as tactically inept as he was at Southampton. He just hasn't got a clue. Saints fans and players were really glad when he left to take the Scotland job. He only got the job because Southampton were on the verge of sacking him. No matter how good a player you are, if your face doen't fit with Burley he just won't play you. Ask any Southampton fan.

    There are only two candidates as far as I can see that are ever worthy of managing our Country Alex Ferguson and Wee Gordon

    From Braveheart, on Mon 13 Oct 7:44PM

  14. WHO CARES ABOUT BOYD RETIRING? HE CANT EVEN GET A GAME AT RANGERS,HE'S LAZY AND NOT WORTH WORRYING ABOUT.NO GREAT LOSS TO SCOTLAND! ALTHOUGH I WAS PUZZLED BY BURLEY'S DECISION TO SUB McFADDEN!? SURELY MALONEY SHOULD HAVE CAME OFF AS HE DIDNT POSE MUCH OF A THREAT ALL GAME! SHOCKING MISS BY IWELUMO BUT I'M SURE THEY WILL COME EVENTUALLY!

    From mark t, on Mon 13 Oct 7:21PM

  15. Fighting for england more like

    From Paul G CHAMPIONS, on Mon 13 Oct 7:11PM

  16. i could not believe the dribble i heard from burley on the radio the man is off his tree yet again Scottish football has descended to the levels of farce and ridicule
    we played two complete novices up front and boy did it show open goal where do our strike team put the ball WIDE and where does burley leave his fit on form goal scorer on the bench cooling his heals
    i say good on Boyd cos lets not kid ourselves if we look at this from a non football view you wouldn't put up with being passed over in another job!

    From craig mennie, on Mon 13 Oct 7:10PM

  17. My sons coming home from Afghanistan this week thats fighting for your country George not a game of fcukn football !!!! Lets get it right here you don't cut the mustard mate

    From hornestuart@..., on Mon 13 Oct 6:51PM

  18. I think its terrible that George Burley has to justify he's decision not to play Kris Boyd at the weekend. If Chris Iwelumo had scored the gilt edged opportunity he had, this debate would not be taking place. It would have been an inspired substitution by Burley. Instead he has to defend himself against a Glasgow Rangers bench warmer. Another case of a player with an overblown opinion of themselves and their ability.

    From Stephen, on Mon 13 Oct 6:40PM

  19. if boyd was any good he would be in the ENGLISH premiership,sadly the truth is scotch footballers are just not fit enough

    From stephen, on Mon 13 Oct 6:40PM

  20. When did bit part Boyd become entitled to a place in the team? Did I miss something?

    From Tracy T, on Mon 13 Oct 6:17PM
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