A worthy winner

IT WAS the evening of January 17 when the four kingmakers in the SFA decided over a spot of dinner that George Burley was the man for them.

Supposedly, it was an unanimous decision. All four had been blown away by him. "We all went for a meal together and at that point in time I thought there's no chance we will all agree on this," said George Peat, SFA president. "I was astounded when we all came up with the same name. We sat and didn't speak or discuss it at that time, we we just said who would be your number one man and the four of us came up with the same guy."

You can imagine that the charisma of Graeme Souness would have given them plenty to think about not to mention the depth and intelligence of Mark McGhee. But, no. Whatever it was that Burley said or did – they haven't revealed the details – he was out on his own. Must have been some performance.



But equally there must have been some degree of worry in the back of Gordon Smith's mind in the days that followed, particularly when it was made public that Burley had got the job before he had ever signed the contract. Having done his research, the chief executive may have come to accept that as far as his new manager is concerned, it's as well to hold off on an announcement until he's physically in the building.



The Stoke experience will have taught him that. Burley had agreed to join Stoke in 2002. Everything was set, right down to the reporters being assembled and the top table being decorated. Everybody was there that morning to welcome his arrival as manager, but he never turned up. He changed his mind overnight. The rumour was that he was freaked by rumours of boardroom unrest but nobody knew for sure.



So if Smith was reluctant to confirm Burley's appointment as Scotland manager until the last details were signed-off then it's understandable, even if it has caused him some embarrassment since. Mark McGhee hearing about it on television was horrible PR for the association. But, in Smith's defence, it was hard to avoid. In fact, Burley says he found out pretty much the same way. "I was watching the television at the time and I didn't know exactly who was going to get the job. I knew I had a chance. It was a little bit of a mix up there and I felt for Mark," he revealed.



"I spoke to Sir Bobby Robson about it," said Burley of his mentor who signed him for Ipswich at the age of 15. "He just said, 'if you get offered it, take it'. It was as simple as that. That's Bobby. He is very passionate and he says to manage your country is a great accolade and something you will really enjoy. You are going to have ups and downs but he was very positive about the national team. I'm not one of those managers who phone managers every minute of the day for advice. You have to make your own mind up on things and you have to be there on the spot and feel it and have an insight into it to make your own decisions.



"But Sir Bobby was one I wanted to listen to before I knew I would be interviewed and then before I went for the interview. When he speaks to you, you listen because of his verve and his excitement. He is a legend. Charismatic and a huge influence on everyone he is around."



Listening to Burley, you wouldn't necessarily say he's full of charisma himself. He's a thoroughly likeable man, a gent, but Souness and McGhee certainly have more presence, have a better way with words and cut a more impressive shape. It's not that Burley's hugely lacking in those areas, he's just not as commanding as the others. Or doesn't seem to be. Bottom line, though? His track record in management is exceptional.



At Ipswich he made the play-offs three seasons in a row from 1996-1999 but lost in the semi-final on each occasion. That could be interpreted from a Scotland perspective as a worrying lack of success on one-off, do-or-die days – in fact, Burley's teams have failed to get promoted in five of the six play-offs they've reached – but that would be a superficial and harsh assessment. Burley painstakingly constructed that Ipswich team from scratch. When eventually they won their play-off final, ten of the 11 players that started had been signed by him and only two had cost more than £800,000.



To go on and finish fifth in the Premiership was an extraordinary thing and Burley won a well deserved manager of the year award on the back of it. Up until that point his business in the transfer market had been unerringly good. Anybody he spent any kind of money on did him an excellent turn. The one season where his judgment abandoned him was in the Premiership. He signed some dreadful duds – Matteo Sereni from Sampdoria for £4.5m, Finidi George from Mallorca for £3m, Ulrich Le Pen from Lorient for £1.4m – and got relegated. The following season he was fired.



His next club was Derby. He took over when they were in freefall and without a win in nine games, eight of which they'd lost. There were just seven games to go in the league and to all the world, Derby were doomed. Burley kept them up, did the same the following season, made some shrewd signings and reached the play-offs the season after. Nobody can question his ability to take a team and make them better. He did the same at Hearts and at Southampton until he was forced to sell his best players, Gareth Bale, Kenwyne Jones and Chris Baird for multiple millions.



Little money may have been wagered on him getting the Scotland job, but you have to say why shouldn't he have got it? He's a worthy winner. And he's motivated. How about Croatia as a first game in March? A slightly tougher beginning than he would have liked? "If you want a tough game, yes! Go for it!" he said. "It's going to show me a few things straight away. England couldn't cope with them."



He hasn't seen many Scotland games in the flesh of late but he has got a very favourable impression of the players. "I didn't see the last one (against Italy). I did come to Hampden when we beat France and it was a phenomenal game. They worked very hard for each other and I think that was a trait throughout the competition. They were against some top class, world class players but as a group they stuck in and worked hard and got some very positive results.



"I don't think there are going to be wholesale changes. It's a good squad with a lot of appetite and desire, which is very important. But things do change and if there is the opportunity and I think it feels right to bring in one or two young players then I will do. But they have done very well. There are areas which look very strong. In other areas you would maybe think if we get an injury things might not be quite right. In Scotland we are not going to have 11 world class players with top ability, things have changed a wee bit in that respect. But what we have is a group who want to work for each other and some quality players among them. That can make a very formidable team."



His backroom team should be finalised this week. Terry Butcher and Steven Pressley are in the frame, but the big decision is made and the new era is under way.