Burley stays: SFA back manager despite World Cup failure

Published on Tuesday 15 September 2009 13:58

GEORGE Burley will remain as Scotland manager, the Scottish Football Association confirmed today.

Burley had been fighting to keep his job after failing to lead the country to the play-offs for next summer's World Cup.

But it appears Burley has convinced his SFA bosses to give him a second chance following talks at Hampden.

SFA chief executive Gordon Smith said that Burley had the "full backing" of the organisation.

Burley met Smith and SFA president George Peat on Monday, along with vice-presidents Campbell Ogilvie and Alan McRae, to discuss the failed campaign.

Smith said: "It was always our intention to have a review of the campaign, regardless of the outcome. We had a full and frank discussion with George Burley.

"We feel there is a lot of positive factors about aspects of the campaign despite the fact we didn't qualify.

"We want to invest our faith going forward in the manager and players.

"George continues in his role with the full backing of the SFA."

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The SFA released a written statement from Smith following his comments outside the main door at Hampden, which called for unity as Scotland prepare for their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign.

"George has been rebuilding his squad and brought through many young players who he feels will bring us success in the years to come," Smith added.

"The next competitive match is not for another 12 months and this gives George and the players the chance to grow and develop together.

"This is not the time for change, it is a time to invest faith in the manager and the players.

"If the World Cup campaign has shown us anything it is that we are at our best when we work together.

"It is by standing united behind the manager and the team that we can achieve the success that we all crave."

Smith was speaking after a meeting of the full SFA board, whose members were given a detailed account of the previous day's discussions with Burley.

The Scotland manager is expected to talk further on his situation and future plans during a school visit tomorrow.

Burley had consistently insisted he would never walk away from the job and maintained he had a passion for the role following Scotland's 1-0 defeat by Holland last week, which consigned them to a third-place finish in Group Nine.

A rousing first-half display in that game, which followed a 2-0 win over Macedonia four days earlier, appears to have convinced the SFA to keep faith with the former Hearts and Ipswich boss.

"You will not meet a more passionate, committed Scot than George," Smith said in his statement.

"He is a man who cares deeply for his country and wants to take us back to the stage where we regularly qualify for major championships.

"This is where we feel we belong – and this is what we must all work together to achieve."