Butcher open to Boyd conciliation

[Bluedell 5,356]

I don't see what Burley did wrong. He didn't play Boyd, but this was during a period when his club manager showed no confidence in him either and dropped him for every big game.

 

It seems to me that Boyd took part of his frustration with Smith out on Burley.

 

Boyd was the one who went away in a huff and he has to be the one who takes the blame for this situation.

[calscot 0]

An international manager should be able to handle the situation and keep the player on side - especially when he has obvious talents compared to those the manager chose before him. Boyd actually WAS playing for Rangers at the time.

 

Walter obviously has those skills as Boyd has not walked out on HIM.

 

Burley is a obviously a second rate international manager as he has single-handedly alienated his most prolific scorer at a time when there is a famine of talent to replace him.

 

As I keep saying THIS is the most important skill an international manager can have. There is little time for coaching and tactics have to be reasonably simple in the time frame too as players are used to playing their club systems. He can't make transfers, so what he has to do is keep his best players happy, motivate everyone and try to get them to play as a team. THEN he can think about the tactics for the game.

 

His interview exposed his fragile ego was to blame, which is a crime for an international manager.

 

The reason that Scotland have done so well under Walter and Eck is purely on those principles. I have never been impressed by Ecks tactics or signings but what he COULD do was motivate good players (that he inherited) and get them to play as a team which made him a better international manager than a club one.

[calscot 0]

PS The fact that Walter seen he was ready for a long run in the team at the exact time of the spat, shows how much greater astuteness he possesses than Burley.

 

And Boyd has repaid him handsomely.

 

Burley has been made to look a complete fool who can't see when a player is in form and can't keep his best players on his side.

[calscot 0]

He didn't play Boyd, but this was during a period when his club manager showed no confidence in him either and dropped him for every big game.

 

I think I really have to labour the point here. Burley dropped him at a time when his club manager put complete FAITH in him.

 

Your assertion is 100% OPPOSITE to the reality IMO.

[craig 5,199]

WS was playing Boyd in all games except the big ones. This is the point that Burley laboured on - he said something along the lines of "if Walter is not playing Kris in the big games then there is a reason for that".

 

So Burley's excuse was that as Boyd wasn't playing in the BIG games for Rangers then he wouldn't be getting picked for Scotland. Now, that statement may be true - but to then give Fletcher and, worse, Iwelumo a chance to score a VITAL goal for the country before a proven international goalscorer was stupidity on the part of Burley, IMO.

 

Neither Fletcher nor Iwelumo have played at the level Boyd has, so I can actually see why Boyd would be frustrated by it.

[Bluedell 5,356]

I think I really have to labour the point here. Burley dropped him at a time when his club manager put complete FAITH in him.

 

Your assertion is 100% OPPOSITE to the reality IMO.

 

I believe that we had played 11 games at the time when Boyd made his decision. Smith didn't see fit to play him in the 3 biggest (the Euro games and Celtic) and also dropped him for Hibs away.

 

That's hardly complete faith, and was following on from the previous season when Boyd was again dropped for most of the big games.

 

Your assertion doesn't stand up to the facts at that point IMO.

[craig 5,199]

Whilst I agree BD, the statement from Burley to the same also contradicts itself does it not ? Had Fletcher and/or Iwelumo played in bigger games at the time ? I doubt it.

 

Also, just because he is dropped fromt he biggest games that doesn't mean he isnt the best striker who was available. Is he a better striker than Fletcher and Iwelumo ? I doubt we even need to begin debating that one. and lets not forget that, at the time, Fletcher was going through a rough patch - yet Burley felt he was a better option than Boyd ? Incredulous IMO.

 

Either way, I am merely thankful that Burley, by not playing Boyd, fired a rocket up Boyd's arse and Rangers are the thankful recipients for Boyd's much improved overall perfomances, whilst still banging in the goals.

Edited December 23, 2008 by craig

[Super_Ally 0]

This was done to death at the time.

 

Burley's comments did not stand up to any scrutiny.

 

Said Boyd was not playing regularly (factually incorrect) when iwelumo had not played his teams last 3 games or so. Others such as McFadden and D Fletcher get picked time and again regardless of game time for their club, or form. McFadden especially has been shit in most recent National games.

 

Said Boyd had not proved himself at club level, then played Fletcher (need I say more) and Iwelumo, who had demonstrated no goal scoring talent at club level until this season.

 

You could go on and on.

 

When you add this to Burely piss poor man management (look at the Broadfoot situation) and the foolish and down-right negative comments he makes in the media regarding his players and it's not difficult to see why Boyd told him to shove it.

 

Boyd may not have come out of it smelling of roses, but it is Burley who should suffer the greatest embarrassment from this.

[Bluedell 5,356]

Craig, you could use the same argument for JCD's inclusion at Rangers. His performances had been dire but Smith still picked him on occasion in front of Boyd. Boyd never even made the bench for the Celtic game IIRC.

 

Horses for courses, as was shown by the team selection for Hibs away, where a more mobile forward was required. Perhaps Burley was taking the same approach? Perhaps Boyd was not performing at training as has already been suggested?

 

Boyd's performances subsequent to this episode have dramatically improved (which hopefully nobody can disagree with) but they weren't that hot prior to it. I do know of personal issues that he was having round about then. Perhaps they were affecting him?

 

Would I have gone for Boyd? Probably, but it could be that we don't know all the mitigating factors.

 

I should add that I'm not aware of what statement by Burley you are referring to. His justification in not playing Boyd didn't seem unreasonable:

 

Asked why he had decided on Saturday not to utilise Boyd, the Scotland manager said that he went with ââ?¬Å?a certain balanceââ?¬Â in terms of his use instead of Iwelumo and Fletcher as second-half substitutes.

 

ââ?¬Å?I felt that big Chris would give Norway problems in the air, but Chris himself is 6ft 4in and he needs a bit of movement around him, and I know that Fletcher has got that,ââ?¬Â Burley said. ââ?¬Å?Steven is a very clever player, and I thought that combination would be right. When they did come on they worked very well together.ââ?¬Â

[craig 5,199]

That statement from Burley though makes me cringe too. He wanted to impose an aerial threat on Norway given the sieze of their CB's yet he started the match with McFadden up front and us playing plenty of high balls up there IIRC. So why, if he wanted more of an aerial threat, did he not start with Iwelumo or even BOYD as Boyd is reasonably tall and actually does win his fair share of headers.

 

Burley said more than you state above BD because he most definitely brought WS and his team selection into it. We either choose to believe or not believe what Burley said about his selections post-game - you and I are on opposing sides of the fence as to whether we believe or not.

 

Sure Fletcher maybe has more moevement than Boyd but at the time Fletcher was not performing well at all IIRC.

 

You may be right about horses for courses - but at international level we dont exactly have a plethora of strikers who will score us goals on a regular basis. Was a vital WC tie the right time to give Fletcher and Iwelumo their debuts ? Not for me, but had Iwelumo scored we would be saying it was a master-stroke.

 

Would I have put Boyd on before either of them ? 100% absolutely - he has proven for his nation that he can score at that level, something neither of the other two can lay claim to.