Terry Butcher is the Godfather who has demanded respect on behalf of the family. Scotland's assistant manager was yesterday compelled to defend the honour of his boss after an unsightly media mauling. If he had his way, those who have been most damning in their criticism of George Burley might well be sleeping with the fishes. They would certainly have woken up to an intimidating Monday morning phone call, if not quite the severed head of Khartoum.

Yesterday was payback for the pillorying and, more specifically, the personal attacks on a friend that have hurt and angered a lesser diplomat.

This was Butcher doing what he does best: stirring passion, talking frankly and reaffirming who is the main man. It is why Burley made the former captain of England his first phone-a-friend when he was appointed Scotland manager.

It's not personal, it's strictly business. "He's had to calm me down," said Butcher, on the feverish reaction to Scotland's introductory swelter in Skopje. "George is terrific. I'm not just saying that because he is my gaffer. He's my pal as well, and I'm godfather to his daughter, so we are quite close but we're different characters. George has had 18 good years in management - you speak to all the players and they'll tell you they all love his style and love the way he goes about his work."

That style and craftsmanship has yet to translate into qualification points. His evident discomfort with the volume of media chores required of the position has also cultivated what Butcher perceives to be an unfair public perception of Burley as a blundering buffoon.

"I'd have handled things a lot differently," said Butcher, a man who has resulted in many a dressing-room door being unhinged. "I would have grabbed a few people but, by law, I can't do that any more. I would certainly have been ringing a few people up and saying a few words down the phone to some, but that's me and George isn't like that.

"There has been a feeding frenzy, but the players and staff don't have any influence over that. For me, George deserves a lot of respect and probably hasn't been shown that for what he's done as a manager and for what he is as a person as well. He's dignified, he's courteous and there's a lot of steel about him, which not many people have seen at the moment, but I'm sure that'll come out eventually."

This was more like it: the Scotland coaching staff rallying round a beleaguered and embattled colleague; a respected public orator openly articulating the effect the venomous negativity has had. If only Burley was capable of such bullishness, we might be a whole lot more optimistic of a rampant return to winning ways in Reykjavik this evening.

STAYING COOL: George Burley keepjng calm despite pressure.

Confrontation, quite commendably, is not his way and while some are already questioning Burley's credentials, despite irrefutable evidence of success with Ipswich Town and Hearts, Butcher believes quiet diplomacy is the best policy for coaching longevity. "George has had much more success as a manager than me," he said frankly. "There is a lot of steel behind George and what he does, and in his decisions, he's very strong. He's a man who knows where he wants to be and I respect that. International football is not about berating players - you've got to be a lot more clever than that."

Burley's ethos has already been tested this week, with preparations interrupted by the bizarre episode of Lee McCulloch's international retirement. The Rangers player took the decision despite never being fit enough, or in sufficiently impressive form, to play under the new manager. As Walter Smith said of Garry O'Connor's disappearance before Ukraine: "He's hardly Kenny Dalglish."

Butcher was more upset at the inference that he was not alone in feeling disaffected under the new regime. "I think the players are a bit bemused at what's been happening," he said. "I've never seen that disharmony. Obviously, Elvis Steven Pressley is closer to the players than me but that's never ever been an issue. That's never been mooted at all.

"It is quite a bizarre story. The players, in particular, are saying: What's going on here?'. It obviously makes headlines and, while the players read the papers, they're not stupid, they know what's going on. It mustn't deflect - and it won't deflect - from going out there with all guns blazing on Wednesday."

Scotland, to continue the gun-toting analogy, are already in last-chance saloon in a claustrophobic World Cup qualification Group 9. Victory this evening is essential to ensure even an outside chance of reaching South Africa. History at least augurs well. Scotland have never lost to Iceland in four international matches, while the Netherlands face the hazardous journey to Skopje having failed to beat Macedonia in their two previous meetings.

"We've all got to be positive and, despite what's been going on with Lee McCulloch and all the other things, we are," said Butcher.

"It does galvanise you. I've been in this position before, when I've had adverse results in internationals and at club level. You have to bounce back in the next game and that's what we intend to do."

Scotland will revise their line-up to counteract Iceland's less inventive strategy. After prescribing a narrow midfield quartet to thwart Macedonia's 3-4-3, Burley is pondering the personnel for a more expansive operation. Either Kris Commons or Shaun Maloney will be summoned, with Paul Hartley a leading candidate to be sacrificed. There are other permutations, which include removing James McFadden from the front line to the left wing, or replacing Kenny Miller, a doubt with a hamstring injury, with either Kris Boyd or Steven Fletcher options to replace him.

"Having watched Iceland, I think they do present chances to score and you feel that this could be an open game, a very honest British-style game in better conditions than we had on Saturday," said Butcher.

"In the second half against Macedonia, we played very wide and got round the back of them because there was no room to go through the middle. There won't be room against Iceland, either, with their two sitting midfield players.

"There's no lack of confidence, when you speak to the players and see them in training. There's some great talent there and, given the opportunity, I'm sure they will put in a good performance. Then the whole thing turns round . . ."

The Godfather has spoken.