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

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    From , on Mon 13 Oct 6:11PM

  2. The some of the parts is greater than the whole :-)

    From art_tidesco, on Mon 13 Oct 5:57PM

  3. Can't say I blame Boyd.
    Burley is taking the Scotish team backwards, destroying all the hard work the previous two managers put in to make Scotland a respectable force in world football.
    Boyd's decision to quit should hopefully speed up Burley's sacking.

    From vulcanraven01@..., on Mon 13 Oct 5:56PM

  4. CANT BELIVE THE ARROGANCE OF SOME PLAYERS FIRST OF ALL MCULLOUGH RETIRING WHAT A LOAD OF @#$% THEN BOYD,WHO DO OTHEY THINK THEY ARE, OWEN SCORED 44 TIMES FOR ENGLAND YOU HAVE NOT SEEN HIM SPITTING HIS DUMMY AND HE WAS NOT EVEN IN THE SQUAD I THOUGHT THE SCOTS STOOD UP TO BE COUNTED INSTEAD OF RUNNING OF WITH THE TAIL BETWEEN THERE LEGS, FEKN PREMADONNAS, NOT THE SCOTS IN GENERAL JUST THESE TWO KNACKAS.

    From roosta, on Mon 13 Oct 5:50PM

  5. can i take it that baby boyd is going to quit rangers as well since he only sits on the bench there as well, or is that different because he get paid to do that. any player who walks out on the international team should never play again and that should have included weir as well

    From jaiiom63, on Mon 13 Oct 5:45PM

  6. i hope burley doesnt get as much time as berti had to ruin things!! and take the team backwards after the progress smith & mcleash had started to make .gordon smith its decision time out out out..

    From rossco, on Mon 13 Oct 5:43PM

  7. I am a norwegian who watch the game at Hamden and thought you were lucky to get a draw. Forget about the near miss, you should have created much more and you were better in the second half.Craig Gordon was good.

    Good luck in the return leg.

    Reidar

    From reidar.kristiansen@..., on Mon 13 Oct 5:24PM

  8. GET OUT BURLEY!!! I am certainly no Gers fan but to not play Boyd was a mistake.

    From graham mathieson, on Mon 13 Oct 5:22PM

  9. I've watched the press conference in question and at no point did Burley "slam" Boyd, nor indeed did he brand him a "Traitor".

    Typical media sensationalism. For what it's worth I thought Burley's comments (the real ones, not the ones the media have invented) were spot on.

    From Ian M, on Mon 13 Oct 5:20PM

  10. nothing arrogant about boyd quitting, why waste time sittin on bench after bench just to be wastes, burleyis like every other scotland manager, they dont have a clue, we dont need rejects from england to play for our national team, mcfadden plays in the english first divison

    From David M, on Mon 13 Oct 5:19PM

  11. Burley says he wont play Boyd because he cant get a game for Rangers
    but Smith is as thick as Burley for people who have been in the game
    that long they see a totaly different game from the paying fans.
    Iam sure Boyd will get a 100% backing from the Rangers fans as
    not many people have the bottle to tell the truth the manager
    picked to many numpties before him and iam sure a lot more will
    follow him.

    From Lee C, on Mon 13 Oct 5:16PM

  12. why not just ferget about rangers players they are all told at the first chance you get kick a fuss and say you dont wont to play again it saves gers calling there so called stars out better of without them

    From John, on Mon 13 Oct 4:59PM

  13. stupid...he think what..stupid boyd...his arrogant,,,

    From AMIR, on Mon 13 Oct 4:57PM

  14. Do we happen to have a TARTEN for the Iwelumo Clan or should i say tribe!!!!

    From Alex F, on Mon 13 Oct 4:28PM

  15. and Scotland need a decent manager get on yer bike burley ASAP

    From Alex F, on Mon 13 Oct 4:26PM

  16. Rumour has it that ASXTC is the Dutch Manager....

    From john.kennedy1873, on Mon 13 Oct 4:00PM

  17. Hope Boyd never plays for Scotland again...arrogant tw.at.

    From Andy, on Mon 13 Oct 3:49PM

  18. To David and Sandra G. Where is he going to play in Europe this season ??, Oh sorry, Hamilton is in Europe and so is Inverness ha ha.

    From afbk1701, on Mon 13 Oct 3:35PM

  19. boyd is being a childish arrogant @#$%

    From Ender75, on Mon 13 Oct 3:30PM

  20. boyd should have been brought on but he doesnt need to run away in a huff he should stay and fight for a place in the team!!

    From christopher, on Mon 13 Oct 3:29PM
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