Loss of confidence rather than disgruntlement with manager led to defeat claims Fletcher

Published on Sunday 15 November 2009 23:04

WHILE George Burley was at a loss to explain Scotland's failure in Cardiff on Saturday, skipper Darren Fletcher could at least rule one reason out of the running.

The Manchester United midfielder denied that the team had stopped performing for the manager. He did, though, cite loss of confidence among the players as a contributing factor in Saturday's performance, which saw Scotland slip three goals behind before half-time.

Fletcher pointed out that inexperienced players such as Don Cowie and Graham Dorrans had suffered as the Tartan Army turned on Burley. In such a hostile atmosphere, belief began to drain away to be replaced by a fear of making a mistake. This is not the formula for a comeback.

"It was nothing to do with the fact that they don't want to play for the manager – it was low confidence from losing three goals.

"It's not anything to do with the manager. The players wanted to play but were just very low on confidence and we didn't lift ourselves after conceding goals. We let those goals affect us.

"Sometimes you can't afford to let your head drop as much as we did. It took until half-time to try to pick people up and the second half was just a nothing game really. It's disappointing. It was a terrible afternoon. Having started the game quite positively for the first 20 minutes, we just capitulated.

"There were bad defensive errors, not tracking runners. It was a calamity of errors from the whole team."

Burley, to his credit, did not shy away from the scale of disappointment arising from the defeat. He admitted that he understood why the fans had called for his removal.

The manager faced his inquisitors at the Cardiff City stadium and engaged himself with each question asked. Predictably, most concerned his own future.

"I am not surprised (the fans turned against me]," he said. "If you are manager and your team plays like that then you are going to get stick from the crowd because the performance wasn't good enough."

Asked bluntly whether the match with Wales might be his last in charge of Scotland, Burley said it was for others to decide. But, although downcast, he did not sound like someone preparing to walk away.

"I am just thinking about this game and how it was not good enough," he said. "We were beaten too easily.

"We never really got going," he continued. "We made six changes in the second half but it didn't really change much.

"The first half was terrible and that is something we can't afford to let happen. It is something we have to look at. Before the game I felt the squad was getting stronger. I felt after the last few displays we were going in the right direction. But we certainly went back the way today."

This admission was a frank one, although Burley did not betray his principles by singling any player out for criticism. It was the heat of the moment, but he remained dignified.

"It's a team," he said. "I am not about to start singling out individuals. Maybe one or two players are finding it hard at club level. But, as a team, it was not good enough. Every department, especially in the first-half, didn't function.

"I can't put my finger on one area because all areas were poor, right through from the back to midfield, to up front." He admitted the goals conceded by Scotland were "shocking" but Burley re-emphasised a point made on numerous occasions – he can only pick the players that are there. Even when he tries to be imaginative, it backfires. The former England Under-21 left back Danny Fox came in for his first start, and after initially impressing on the pitch endured a difficult introduction to the Scottish side.

"It's where we are as a country, as a group of players, as a team," Burley said. "I can't go and bring other players into the squad. I am picking the best squad of players, working together with them and trying to get the best out of them. That's all I can do as manager."