Burley stands by bold selection

WHATEVER doubts may exist about George Burley's various managerial qualities, none can be raised over his boldness, flexibility or single-mindedness. While announcing his 25-man Scotland squad yesterday for the vital World Cup qualifier against Norway at Hampden on Saturday week, Burley will have been fully aware that the inclusion of such new/old faces as Chris Iwelumo and Jamie McAllister would cause at least a ripple of bemusement, if not a jolt of scepticism.

Clearly, the national team manager decided on his appointment last January that, whatever external pressures he may have to withstand, the squad charged with the task of reaching South Africa in 2010 will be identifiable by his fingerprints.

There has already been evidence of Burley's intention to distance himself from the work of his predecessors, Alex McLeish and Walter Smith, including an insistence on more aggression and more goals from midfield and the introduction of a sizeable number of previously unconsidered players. The summonses for Iwelumo and McAllister are simply confirmation of his determination to trust his own judgment.

Iwelumo is the 30-year-old Wolves striker, the Coatbridge-born son of a Scottish mother and Nigerian father, whose eight goals from seven matches this season have helped take the Midlands club to the top of the Championship in England. In what could certainly be described as an itinerant career, he has represented ten clubs, starting with St Mirren as a 17-year-old and embracing stops in Denmark, Germany and seven different destinations in England.

McAllister, also 30, is the former Queen of the South, Aberdeen, Livingston and Hearts midfielder who has, in the past year or so, been playing regularly at left-back for Bristol City. His call from Burley indicates the need for cover in that position for Gary Naysmith. In outlining the reasons for their inclusion, Burley, unsurprisingly, saw no need to be defensive or apologetic.

"In the case of Chris Iwelumo, it's simply a matter of always being on the look-out for options, of leaving the door open to anyone showing good form and playing regularly," said the manager. "He's six feet four, but, this season, he has shown that he's not just a big target man, but that he has goals in him, too.

"I spoke to his manager, Mick McCarthy, about him, and he said Chris has been in excellent form. He gives us more variety. We have quick, elusive and skilful players and he is a big target man who also has pace. He gives us another option. I know him from his time at Colchester, when he played against my team, Southampton."

Burley rejected the suggestion that Norway's well-known preference for tall, muscular types had prompted the inclusion of Iwelumo, a case of fightingfire with fire. "No, that's not the reason at all," he said.

"Sure, Norway have a lot of height and physical strength, but that's a kind of British style we're perfectly used to dealing with. We would always concentrate more on our own assets, the way we will want to play, than have our selection or tactics dictated by the opposition."

Iwelumo's inclusion means no place for either the Birmingham City striker, Garry O'Connor, or Cardiff City's Ross McCormack. Burley explained: "Garry is still not playing regularly and not quite ready.

"Ross is just a little unlucky not to have made the squad this time, but I spoke to him and assured him he hasn't been forgotten. As I said, Chris just gives us another option."

McAllister already has one cap, having been a member of the Berti Vogts-managed side who beat Trinidad and Tobago 4-1 in a friendly at Easter Road in May, 2004. He was a midfielder in Burley's charge when the latter was manager of Hearts, so this is a renewal of a former relationship. During his time at Livingston, he scored one of the goals in the West Lothian club's famous 2-0 victory over Hibernian in the 2004 CIS Insurance Cup final.

"Jamie was a midfielder when I knew him at Hearts," said Burley, "but, in the last year or so, he has settled into the left-back position and has been playing well at Bristol. Everybody knows that we were not inundated with left-backs and Callum Davidson, who had to pull out of the last squad, is still not ready. Jamie will provide reliable cover."

In the absence from central defence of the suspended Stephen McManus, the Rangers, veteran, David Weir, seems certain to form a partnership with Celtic's Gary Caldwell. "David had to call off from the squad for Macedonia and Iceland last month," said Burley, "But I saw him against Hibs last Sunday, and he was outstanding. He is very fresh and, as we do with every squad, we simply have to hope that we are not hit with a lot of injuries and withdrawals before the event."

SCOTLAND SQUAD

2010 World Cup Group 9 qualifier v Norway, 11 October at Hampden Park

GOALKEEPERS

Craig Gordon (Sunderland)

Allan McGregor (Rangers)

David Marshall (Norwich)

DEFENDERS

Graham Alexander (Burnley)

Darren Barr (Falkirk)

Christophe Berra (Hearts)

Kirk Broadfoot (Rangers)

Gary Caldwell (Celtic)

Jamie McAllister (Bristol City)

Gary Naysmith (Sheffield Utd)

David Weir (Rangers)

MIDFIELDERS

Scott Brown (Celtic)

Kris Commons (Derby)

Darren Fletcher (Manchester Utd)

Paul Hartley (Celtic)