Boyd Turned His Back We Move On Now (from The Herald )

MAIN SPORT - IN THIS SECTION		INDEX

Boyd turned his back. We move on now

George Burley appeared before the media at Hampden yesterday to speak about Kris Boyd's decision to temporarily retire from international football.

The Rangers forward had outlined his reasons in a tabloid newspaper and this was Burley's chance to respond. He did so in emphatic style, questioning Boyd's commitment and attitude, and effectively dismissing the striker's reputation as a goalscorer of some repute as an irrelevance. Below is an abridged transcript of his conversation with a group of daily newspaper journalists.

Can you understand anyone not wanting to play for their country?
GB When you are picked for the squad whether you are playing or not - and I went to a World Cup and never played a game - it's a big honour. Of course you are disappointed when you are not playing, or you are maybe not on the bench or you are disappointed not being in the squad, because you want to play for your country. Kris has decided he doesn't want to play, which I find very disappointing.

When you are born and bred in the country, and you are turning your back, it's a big thing. He's made that decision and now we have to move on. I went to Celtic Park this season, and to Hibs, and he didn't play a game. He was the only member of our 25-man squad who hasn't been playing regularly this season. That was my choice.

Some people said it was the wrong one but I wanted to keep him in the squad. You look at it in training and look at other players who look sharper and brighter than him and they get the opportunity.

Is there any part of you that can understand his decision?
GB No.

Do you think Kris Boyd has shown an attitude problem in training?
GB He hasn't shown enough for me in training to think he will go out there and score me a goal. Other players showed me more with their sharpness and brightness and the things you do.

Is the timing of it all disappointing?
GB I was disappointed we didn't win on Saturday.

I went home with my family, didn't answer my phone.

I got a message from Kris on Sunday and phoned him up and spoke to him. I don't think it was the time and place.

How would you describe the tone of the conversation you had with Kris?
GB He said to me, I just feel I'm down the pecking order and I'm not going to get a chance so I just want to concentrate on club football'. I said, Well, things can change quickly in football'. He said he had made his decision

When you are born and bred here, and you are turning your back, it�s a big thing. He�s made that decision

Was it designed to put you under pressure?
GB Whatever the design, it's not helping Scotland. It's not about me, it's about Scotland. I shouldn't be here talking about Kris Boyd. If I'm here it should be to talk about Scotland and what we are going to do. I'm not going to be a favourite as there are a lot of Boyd fans out there.

But reputations are in the past for me. It's about what you do now. It's not what you did three or six months ago or Kenny Dalglish would still be playing. I watch games all the time and I watch training. That is what counts.

Do you feel you were shown a lack of respect that wouldn't have been shown to your two predecessors Walter Smith and Alex McLeish?

GB I don't know about my predecessors but I think it is a lack of respect towards his country and to me.

Is the door closed for him if he is to change his mind?

GB He's told me he doesn't want to play. Kris has got to get his act together and establish himself at club level. Walter Smith is one of the best managers in Britain and he Boyd hasn't established himself there.

There is a big jump from SPL to international football. You're playing against some of the best players in the world. He's got to establish himself and he hasn't done that in the time that I've been in charge.

How damaging is it to you that this scenario has come up?

GB I've played at every level for my country and been a manager for 18 years at the top level in England and Scotland. I was given the job by the SFA which I earned. People form their opinions but I've earned the right and I'm going to do my best.

Reputations won't bother me. I won't always be the favourite if I'm leaving favourite players out. But I have to be focused and make tough decisions. I'm very confident in my own ability.

Do you feel you need to reassert your authority?

GB I am a very focused individual as far as making my own decisions. People might think the decisions on the subs on Saturday were right or wrong, but they were totally mine.

Every country has people who, for whatever reason, decide they don't want to play, and you are never going to stop that. All I'm interested in are the ones that want to play for their country. The ones who want to be committed.

The others don't come into play for me. It doesn't matter what you did five or six weeks ago. Your reputation is about playing for your club and performing, and when you join up with the squad, what is your attitude like, how sharp are you looking, are you looking bright? You make the selection from there.

Have you ever dropped your head since becoming Scotland manager? Or had a moment's doubt?

GB Not at all. I'm there for the scrap and the fight. I'm not going to turn my back on the country. I'm going to battle with everything I've got. And I will work as hard as I can with players who are going to give everything for the country.

Have you had any indications there are others waiting in the wings to retire too?

GB Nobody at all. Nobody has spoken to me and the squad has been great.

Would you accept that, for all his limitations, we don't have many scorers with the natural ability of a Boyd? Will he be a loss?

GB (getting more animated) You would love that but you have to prove it. He's not playing regularly. Does that tell you something? If you watch him in training and he's not sharp and bright, does that tell you something?

That's what tells me. It is not scientific. I will pick my squad on what I see on the training ground. It is no good looking at reputations. It is a loss but you are looking at him to push on at club level and when he joins us. He's got to show character. He has to say, I'm going to be a regular and be the best on the training pitch with Scotland. But we haven't seen that yet.

Do you have to stand up for yourself a bit more?

GB I will take it on the chin.

I can't change things but I will say my own views. I won't change the opinions of the Boyd fans. But what I will do is the way I think is right.

Will the Tartan Army stand by you?

GB The Scottish people want people to show character and want to play for Scotland. No matter what. If people say Boyd has nothing to prove, then come on. We all have something to prove. I'm a firm believer in playing, training and doing things right.

Do you wish now that you hadn't put Boyd on the bench?

GB Somebody like Kris Boyd could offer you something in a one-off situation but I was looking for a pairing option. That's why I went for that. If things had looked different he could have been in the starting line-up. But he wasn't. You have to prove yourself all the time.

I want to draw a line under it now as Scotland has to be focused.

with Graeme Macpherson