Burley's job is safe, vows Smith

ALTHOUGH he conceded that the result of tomorrow's clash with Norway will impact greatly on Scotland's hopes of qualifying for the World Cup, Scottish Football Association chief executive Gordon Smith yesterday insisted that, whatever the outcome, George Burley is the man to take the international team forward.

Smith is alert to the tendency in football to make rush judgments on someone's abilities, often over just 90 minutes. Given the truncated nature of Scotland's qualifying group – where there are only five teams as opposed to six – there is perhaps even greater temptation to treat tomorrow's match as a showdown.

Burley himself acknowledged it will be "very difficult" to progress to the finals in South Africa if anything but victory is gained against the Norwegians, but Burley, who signed a four-year contract in January, received firm backing from Smith yesterday.

"George has been judged so far game by game," said Smith, with reference to the reaction after each of Burley's five outings as Scotland manager. "He's good, no he's bad, he was good again. after Iceland. There's a determination in football to judge people on a game-by-game basis. From that point of view the judgment will probably come on George (after the Norway match]. But we will certainly not judge him at the SFA. His position is not under any threat at all."

Smith recognises what is at stake, with his predecessor at Hampden, David Taylor, having estimated Scotland lost out on £10 million after failing to qualify for the finals of Euro 2008. "If you said we were not going to make any money from being in South Africa, I would say I don't care," he said. "I just want to be there."

He is confident he has the man to take Scotland to South Africa. Smith made a ringing endorsement of the manager he hired ten months ago, and also hailed players willing to put patriotism ahead of pound signs to play for Scotland. "Their only financial gain will come from the bonus money received should they qualify," he said. "They made a great gesture to Scottish football by saying they don't want to get paid for playing for Scotland. They get paid on the basis of performance. There are not many countries where that happens."

Smith called on these players to further enhance themselves in the eyes of the nation by becoming the first Scots to qualify for a major finals since 1998.

"What it would do is give a lift to the nation," he said. "We all sensed that last year, when we were going so well and beating France away, there was a feel-good factor. That is what we would get from qualification as well. Everyone gets a boost."

Smith was speaking at the launch of a new partnership between the SFA and the Scottish Government which aims to promote citizenship though football, tackling issues such as alcohol and drugs mis-use and sectarianism. Worthy initiatives such as these will not earn him a reprieve in the eyes of many observers should Scotland look to have scuppered their chances of reaching South Africa, with the next fixture, against Holland, not until March. Smith acknowledged the "psychological" boost which a win tomorrow would bring ahead of this interlude.

"It is a crucial game," accepted Smith. "It's difficult to decide how crucial. For me, next Spring was the crucial time, when we play Holland and then follow that up with Iceland at home. Even after this weekend, depending how it goes, you cannot tell for certain where you are. But it's one you want to win. It's one where you feel where a win is crucial. Anything less and you begin to have doubts about our qualification chances."

Smith is on guard for any flak which may arise this weekend.

"It's like being on the board of directors at a club," said Smith. "If the manager does well I notice you don't get praise – just criticism when he does badly. We are happy to have George in the job. He's the right man to lead Scotland.

"I know judgment will be passed on me, it goes with the territory," he continued.

"I know all I need is a win on Saturday to shut people up."