Goodbye George Burley?

[Daggers]

Wales 3 Scotland 0

THE LAST time Scotland were humiliated in Wales it should have been the death of Berti Vogts.

His survival cost the country a whole campaign. The SFA can't afford to make the same mistake again.

In a cracks-of-your-fingers horror show that was a match for the 4-0 embarrassment the little German suffered in 2004 Wales shamed Scotland with three first-half goals.

It wasn't just the scoreline though - and it could have been a shedload more. The gulf in appetite, ability and pace was so glaring you have to wonder where George Burley can possibly take this team.

Harangued for the last 60 minutes of the game and booed off the park, it was the darkest hour of his tenure. Burley and his paymasters would need binoculars to see any light at the end of the tunnel.

Four months before the Euro 2012 draw the Scotland boss told his players they had four games to show him who was in for the fight.

One match was all it took to find most of the answers. And the biggest question mark now hangs over the manager himself.

Yet it didn't start all that badly. All week Burley had been hinting at big plans for talisman James McFadden, a gameplan crafted to showcase his skill to its devastating best.

There was no great science to it in the end though. Faddy had clearly been told to play freedom football and his mates had been told to play shape to support him.

It didn't look too daft either when McFadden was at the heart of two dream chances early on.

Dropping off the front he was the hub of a move that came from back to front, right to left, feeding Graham Dorrans and on to debut boy Danny Fox out wide.

The low cross was hard - and Faddy was right there to meet that on the half-volley too. However, he was denied by keeperWayne Hennessey.

Thirty seconds later the Birmingham playmaker was in the thick of it again, this time feeding a sweet ball to Kenny Miller who shot inches wide.

It all looked pretty promising but within half an hour shouts of "Burley, Burley, get tae f***" were raining down.

The defending was shambolic. No other word for it.

Right from minute one when Fox let Sam Ricketts deliver two killer crosses past him.

The Celtic full-back laid out the welcome mat for all comers on the left and Wales walked right over the top of him, the gifts of Aaron Ramsey shining like a 1,000-watt bulb among Scotland's energy-savers.

The 18-year-old Arsenal kid left Stevie Naismith tasting spray as he ran off a great one-two with Ricketts to feed David Edwards. Gary Caldwell had given the Wolves man a yard and it was all Edwards needed to volley home.

The headlines yesterday told us Celtic's struggling stoppers Caldwell and Stephen McManus would shut their critics up. Instead they handed out more ammunition than a Kandahar quartermaster.

Goal No.2 was prompted again by Ramsey. His probing pass into the left channel picked out Joe Ledley who saw his driven ball clipped in at the near post by Simon Church with McManus floundering. Worse was to come two minutes later for the big man - although he had plenty of partners in crime.

Fox was culpable again, feeding an awful ball back inside. Darren Fletcher couldn't get it under control and Ramsey was away with the head down.

McManus' attempt at stopping the Gunner was horrible to watch, Fletcher's attempt to bring him down almost as bad - and the finish was as much as the kid deserved as he poked home.

The Tartan Army went into full-scale revolt as the Welsh fans got the calculators out.

Another minute passed, another disaster area developed at the back. Ched Evans cut in from the left and forced a save from David Marshall's feet.

The striker was then bundled over from behind by Dorrans and claimed what looked like a stonewall spot-kick.

Thankfully, Swiss ref Cyril Zimmerman ignored his pleas.

It was unbearable to watch, an embarrassment. And it was made worse by Burley's bizarre decision to shuffle the deckchairs on the Titanic three minutes from the break by switching McFadden and Naismith.

"What a load of rubbish" echoed around the far corner of the ground - and the Tartan Army got a close-up look at just how bad it was when Scotland defended that end after the break.

A McManus blunder left sub Sam Vokes one on one with Marshall and the Cardiff keeper was lucky he only saw yellow as he slid out and handled.

The goals dried up but the comic cuts defending didn't.

If this was supposed to be the game that gave McManus and Caldwell their belief back the Parkhead duo will have flown home in bits.

Subs Ross McCormack, Derek Riordan and Kevin Kyle all finally tested Hennessey in the last 10 minutes, the latter's header forcing a magnificent save.

But it was miles too little and miles too late. For the players and their gaffer.

[Uncle Monty]

I heard Kingy was involved at some point as well?

[Corky]

I heard Kingy was involved at some point as well?

Yeah, came on for the last 10 minutes or so.

Bad result for Scotland, I can't see Burley staying.

[MC Prussian]

Scotland's been in a downfall for 10+ years. And you cannot just blame Vogts for the demise. It started way earlier.

[dandannieldanok]

The funniest thing to come out of this is that Wales will think their world-beaters now..............until the next crushingly disappointing qualifying campaign. As for Scotland, well they're just plain useless whatever way you look at it.

[Hitesh]

I think this really does show how bad Scotland really are. Don't think they'd achieve much success even if they got rid of Burley!

[The Doctor]

I think this really does show how bad Scotland really are. Don't think they'd achieve much success even if they got rid of Burley!

did well in euro 08 qualifying with walter smith. the performance this campaign is down to burley and nothing more.

BURLEY OUT!!!!!!

[lildave3]

He's done a shit job tbf.

[BlueSi13]

Wales look a banana skin, no doubt about it.

With the expansion of the Euros, Wales might just have an outside shot of getting there, i would have said Scotland as well, but not with George Burley, can't lead a team to a tournament when nobody believes in you or wants you.

[Finnegan]

The funniest thing to come out of this is that Wales will think their world-beaters now..............until the next crushingly disappointing qualifying campaign. As for Scotland, well they're just plain useless whatever way you look at it.

Errr.... just goes to show how much you know then really doesn't it.

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

At one point Scotland did look a genuinely half decent team. There's quality in the likes of Brown, Fletcher, and Gordon, but it seems they rely far too heavily on James McFadden for their own good.

[Tevez]

Fuming, get the cock out.

[Finnegan]

At one point Scotland did look a genuinely half decent team. There's quality in the likes of Brown, Fletcher, and Gordon, but it seems they rely far too heavily on James McFadden for their own good.

Don't really get why he plays Naismith ahead of Deek.

S'just because he plays in the Old Firm. Don't think Naismith's that good at all tbh and Deek can score for fun, from range as well, with either foot.

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

Don't really get why he plays Naismith ahead of Deek.

S'just because he plays in the Old Firm. Don't think Naismith's that good at all tbh and Deek can score for fun, from range as well, with either foot.

Agreed, never really rated Naismith. Riordan's a game changer.

[Uncle Monty]

I was hopeful (still am in the case of Ireland) that more home nations qualified, it makes for a better atmosphere at the big tournaments.

[Lillehamring]

I went to the norway v scotland match, when scotland were in prime position to qualify, and norway were only just back under the megson-dwarfing super defensiveness of Drillo and averaging something like a goal every other match

it was a walk in the park, only a poor call by the linesman preventing a 5-0 drubbing - suffice to say, one of their best players was ex-fox callum davidson

[Matt]

Craig Levein one of the favourites to replace him :crylaugh: :crylaugh:

[davieG]

Craig Levein one of the favourites to replace him

It's not that funny, he's been very successful in Scotland, we're the only blot on his copy book, most managers have more .

[Matt]

It's not that funny, he's been very successful in Scotland, we're the only blot on his copy book, most managers have more .

Exactly and I think International Football is probably abit more harder and high profile than Leicester City and the Scottish leagues - Which lets be honest, Many players and managers are made to look good in the Scottish leagues.

[davieG]

Exactly and I think International Football is probably abit more harder and high profile than Leicester City and the Scottish leagues - Which lets be honest, Many players and managers are made to look good in the Scottish leagues.

Familiarity with the players and the league you're in can give a massive edge something he didn't have at Leicester, lets not forget that he had to lose £5 mill worth of players and rebuild the team virtually from scratch and with no budget, many managers would and did fail us in less difficult situations. Sometimes you have to look beyond the obvious to see why people fail.

[Matt]

Familiarity with the players and the league you're in can give a massive edge something he didn't have at Leicester, lets not forget that he had to lose £5 mill worth of players and rebuild the team virtually from scratch and with no budget, many managers would and did fail us in less difficult situations. Sometimes you have to look beyond the obvious to see why people fail.

Fair points, I don't think Levein is anything near one of our worst managers, but I don't think he is a particularly good manager, and at the end of the day no matter who is in charge of Scotland they are never going to be world beaters. I suppose Levein in charge of Scotland is no Taylor in charge of England

[Vacamion]

Burley couldn't be expected to make a silk purse from a sow's ear, Scotland have been let down by some of their biggest players.

Ferguson and McGregor flicking the V at journos when they had been caught boozing all night. McCulloch and Boyd walking away from the national side.

That said, if you have lost the dressing room, the press and the supporters, it's time to go.

Levein has not done a bad job at Dundee Utd. You never know, he might do a better job with Scotland.

[Fox You Forest]

You know things aren't going great when your next big hope is a 14 year old Somalian.

[Sly]

Instead of all the pointless friendlies we play, the home nations tournament should be reinstated.

[Guest Mee-9]

Could see Craig Levein being named the new boss, if burley gets the sack. Also wonder if Darren Fergusons in amongst the odds, he did a very good at Peterboro. Still can't see why he left.