Burley questions Boyd´s passion for Scotland

Scotland manager George Burley accused Kris Boyd of not caring for his country after the striker quit the international scene.

Boyd, 25, on Sunday revealed he will not make himself available for selection while Burley is in charge and he is sticking to his guns despite calls for him to change his mind.

The Rangers star is furious at the lack of opportunities Burley has given him and being an unused substitute in Saturday's goalless draw against Norway was the final straw.

But Burley, who insists he can't pick Boyd while he is struggling to get into the Rangers team, questioned the forward's passion for Scotland.

“Kris is disappointed not to play but this is your country you're talking about,” Burley said.

“I've never had a cross word with Kris. They come in, stay at five-star hotels, in this day and age they have massive wages.

“How much do you care? You don't need to like everybody. This is your country.”

“Okay, he didn't get on but the only way Kris Boyd is going to get in the team is playing regular, showing what he can do, coming to the squad and looking lively and bright and look better than the other strikers. That's how you get in the team.

“You have got to show that passion and if you don't want to show it, you make that decision that you want to step out, fine.

“We have big games coming up, people might think we are out of it but we're not, we are in second position.

“We need people wanting to fight for the cause, go to war for the country. Roll your sleeves up and go for it.”

Boyd had already made it clear he has no intention of going back on his decision in an interview earlier on Monday.

“I'll stand by what I've done,” he told the Scottish Sun. “It might be right and it might not be right, but I'll not play for Scotland again as long as George Burley is in charge. I've taken the decision, and that's the way it is.

“Football is about opinions, and his opinion is obviously that I'm not good enough to play for Scotland. My opinion is that I am good enough and have proved that.”

Boyd was quick to play down suggestions that he has never got on with Burley and claimed his decision to quit was not personal.

“There has never been a problem between us,” he said. “I hope that if I meet him, we would still speak to one another. It's nothing personal between him and me. It is purely down to football reasons.

“I'm obviously not in his plans, so there is no point in my being there.”

Meanwhile, Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon believes Chris Iwelumo still has a big role to play for his country despite a disastrous debut against Norway.

Iwelumo cost Scotland two points on Saturday when he somehow shot wide of an open goal from close-range and Burley's side had to settle for a draw as a result.

But Gordon said: “He came on and gave us a presence up there, flicked a few balls on and caused a bit of havoc. So there are positives to be taken from his performance as well.

“He knows he should have scored the goal, but we had other chances as well and didn't take them, so you can't lay the blame entirely at his feet.

“I think the fans will understand it's his first game for Scotland and he is under a lot of pressure coming on.

“But he will be back and he will be stronger. He is a big honest boy up there for us, he puts himself about and that's something we didn't really have.”

Scotland's difficult start to their Group Nine campaign mean they sit on just four points from their opening three games following a defeat to Macedonia and a win in Iceland.