1st thing, whilst I agree he tends to be a fat lazy pie eater, Boyd is always in the right place at the right time. He's alot like David Healy - not very good, but invaluable at getting goals. Rangers fans are unbelievably right in that respect in that goals win games. Obvious yes and fairly simple.
For me Burley has made all the rookie mistakes.
1. Allowed friendlies against teams we had little chance of winning and thus damaging our rankings (and confidence) which is important when it comes to seedings for qualifaction. Even if our top 20 status was a little flattering it was done through shrewd management in only arranging winnable friendly games to test players (ie Nigeria, USA and likewise)
2. He also decided to ignore squad regulars in favour of people like Clarkson and Teale. Neither of which are even Scotland international quality.
3. He has changed our philosophy to a footballing team apparently. Taking away from our attributes in set pieces and alike. Anyone who is honest will realise that Scotland are limited and need to play to strengths. Also from what I've seen, we've never played such awful football since Vogts darkest days. There doesnt appear to be the same belief or organisation as under our previous two managers.
4. Where it may be a childish point and he (TB - lord and saviour) is a great motivator, he was never going to win any fans by appointing an Englishman regardless of who he was. And to allow him to have his own war of words about a friendly with which Diego Maradona was involved was a further error and undermined his authority. It became a circus.
5.Broadfoot and Magregor. One is a very limited player and the other is niave. Two public slatings on their playing ability. Maybe the KB one was used to fire him up and in a sense it worked as he scored. I think it was more an honest assessment which a manager shouldnt say. He then says certain players were niave and shouldnt allow themselves to be blocked. Te moment in question is Van persies goal. a) Dirk Kuyt is a high quality player who knows how to be a nuisance. Its part of his job. even Van persie thought it was obstruction. Burley the rule that Fergie never does. Dont slag off individuals. Its a team game.
6. This Boozegate situation (the most overblown hoo ha in world history) is making him look the fool. 1st he allowed players to go the the bar for a quick drink and got taken advantaged of. Then HE banned the two idiots for life. Last week it was his decision. Gordon Smith doesnt know what the official line is. Neither does Peat.
Today, he says he gave no permission and banning was nothing to do with him. If I was the manager and that decision on player staff was taken away from me I wouldnt be happy. It SHOULD be his decision. He has been further undermined.
At the time i felt Burley was the right guy for the job but it's one mess after another and his superiors are not helping. I am not totally sure what type of respect there is for him. Constant contradictions (he only plays people who are playing then plays Gordon) and mismanagment of individuals have hampered him and I question whether he is able to manage at this level. He appears out of his depth.
But I will support him along with Scotland to get the results we require. Wins against Norway and Moldova and something against the Dutch (who will have qualified by then)
I agree with most of that but playing Craig Gordon was surely one of his better decisions - whether he was playing first team football or not.