According to the BBC website, George Burley has named his squad for the double header with Macedonia and Iceland.

Shaun Maloney guarantees his place after one subs appearance since returning to Celtic while Gary O'Connor is included also.

No Michael Stewart, Lee McCulloch or Davie Weir either.

Link

There's a defender called Weir in the squad according to SSN. I can't think of any other Weir except David.

Macedonia away is the sort of game you need him for. I wouldn't be averse to dropping him later in the campaign.

Gordon (Sunderland), Marshall (Norwich), McGregor (Rangers);

Alexander (Burnley), Barr (Falkirk), Berra (Hearts), Caldwell (Celtic), Davidson (Preston), McManus (Celtic), McNaughton (Cardiff), Naysmith (Sheffield United), Weir (Rangers);

Brown (Celtic), Commons (Derby), Fletcher (Manchester United), Hartley (Celtic), Maloney (Celtic), Morrison (West Brom), Robson (Celtic), Thomson (Rangers);

Boyd (Rangers), Clarkson (Motherwell), McFadden (Birmingham), Miller (Rangers), O'Connor (Birmingham).

edit: I got this from the TA board, neither SkySports or the BBC have announced the full squad yet.

Underwhelmed. As I am about Burley in general.

I though Weir wasnt in the squad. Good to see Barr kept his place

I dont think we can complain too much about that squad, there is no player included or excluded that we can be shocked about, obviously hutton not making it is a big blow, his offensive runs in particular were missed against N Ireland.

I hope everyone remembers how good a campaign last seasons was and gets full behind this group of players/manager and remember we exceeded ourselves to an extent last time round, to get 4 points over the first two games would give us and excellent platform for the norway home game next month where with a full hampden behind us i fully expect us to get all 3 points, giving us a 7 point start going into the new year.

What did you expect? Are there names there that should be? To my mind the squad is picking itself just now.

I'd have had McCormack in the squad, but he probably wouldn't even make the bench anyway, and neither will Maloney or O'Connor, so it's not important. Surprised that Whittaker's been left out though.

Presumably we will be lining up:

GORDON
ALEXANDER CALDWELL/WEIR McMANUS NAYSMITH
FLETCHER ROBSON HARTLEY BROWN/THOMSON MALONEY/MCFADDEN
MILLER

Which is not far off what we were lining up with 4 or 6 years ago...

As Colin said, no major surprises, pretty much the best what we have available to us.

One thing is for sure, it will be a tight, scrappy match.

Nope. Just, y'know, not excited about it at all i.e. underwhelmed. My thoughts on Burley are about separate issues as, you're right, the squad basically picks itself.

Rubbish

With the exception of McManus, Robson and Brown/Thomson, they were all involved in 2004/06.

I think we're probably all slightly underwhelmed by Burley so far.

I think that was inevitable though, after the way the climax of the Euro qualifying campaign captured the nation's attention. There was always going to be a bit of a lull until we get back to the nitty gritty.

Remains to be seen whether we'll be able to perform as well as we did in most of those games.

Thats not what you said, you said 4 to 6 years ago.

Sep, 6 years ago... Weir was the only player that started. Alexander came on as a sub.

Sep, 5 years ago...Naysmith was the only player who started, McFadden came on as a sub

You said 4 to 6 years ago, which would be 2002-04, ie the Euro 2004 qualifying campaign.

If you look at each of the games in that campaign, you will see that very few of the team you named started in those games.

Faroe Islands 2-2 Scotland: Weir
Iceland 0-2 Scotland: Naysmith
Scotland 2-1 Iceland: Alexander, Naysmith & Miller
Lithuania 1-0 Scotland: Alexander, Naysmith & Miller
Scotland 1-1 Germany: Naysmith & Miller
Scotland 3-1 Faroe Islands: Naysmith
Germany 2-1 Scotland: Naysmith and McFadden
Scotland 1-0 Lithuania: Naysmith, Miller & McFadden
Scotland 1-0 Holland: Naysmith, Fletcher & McFadden
Holland 6-0 Scotland: Naysmith, Fletcher & McFadden


So in fact, very few of the current team started any games 4 to 6 years ago.

Sure Fletcher played and Scored in that game

edit* mis-read, just realised was players who started.

According to some bint on Setanta this morning, Danny Barr and Martin O'Connor are in the squad.

Anyone know much about them?

Yes, they're an Irish satellite TV channel who've taken a share of the British football TV market.

Does anyone else think that Chris Iwelumo should be given a chance? fair enough maybe not in a full squad straight away but maybe in a friendly sqaud? I think he could be the physical presence that the attack his been missing recently

Wait till he signs for Rangers and he will be in any squad he likes.

Pish squad...Alexander should be nowhere near a squad at his age. He's far too old for a Scotland team thats meant to be about the future. He'll be getting his bus pass when South Africa comes around. Weirs another one who should make way for younger players

That squad actually looks horrendous. Graham Alexander is a bombscare and Naysmith is little better these days.

I really fear for us

the team will likely pick itself i think it is essential for the macedonia game that fletcher hartley and robson are in midfield and our attacking options are mcfadden plus onwe other preferably boyd rather than one up front and hoping for another wonder goal. i also will predict this being a shite game just hope it is not another georgia away game

whats that got to do with anything?

if alexander and wier are in the squad why shouldnt mcnamara and mcann not be inculded
slightly younger and no real difference in ability.

Step away from the computer please.

y iz darren barr not playin 4 real madrid????

I really hate these deluded SPL fans who think their bog standard players are good international quality.

Fuck sake .

Pretty much what was expected. I'm a wee bit surprised at Alexander being in at the expense of Whittaker especially since Huttons out I think we could have used a more attacking right back. Alexander is still worth a call up in the 'backs to the wall' games (France away was a good example) but much of what went wrong in Georgia was caused by having no attacking full backs on the park against weaker opposition.

I reckon we should go 4-4-1-1 with McFadden playing a free role behind Miller and dropping back into midfield when we lose the ball.

The only inclusion that I'm concerned about is Davidson, and that's only because I haven't seen him play for years.

Personally I'd pick McManus and Weir at the back with Caldwell at RB. I think Alexander is OK, he's experienced in these games and he's nowhere near as bad as people make out.

Can they play up front?



That's a good shout actually.

Alexander is solid but surely we can conjure a better and younger right back from somewhere.

Darren Barr can play there.......

Not a bad idea, but IMO Caldwell deserves a shot at centre back - he's been better than McManus in the last few games he's had, and had a great game against Croatia.
If we were to go with McManus and Weir at centre back and Caldwell at right back, I'd have Alexander at left back, as Naysmith hasn't had a good game for Scotland for years.

My tickets for both games arrived last night

Alexander worries me greatfully...I would have gone with Whittaker, but maybe going with Caldwell at RB will be ok...

Got to be Boyd/O'Connor* up front with Miller/McFadden*

(*your choice...any combination of 4 )

Bloody Weir in the squad again. He was a good defender in his day, but he's past it now, and as slow as a bus.

Yeah! Yeah!

Loving you signature by the way

Davidson - No! (no idea why he's in)
Weir - No! (too old)
Alexander - No! (too old)
Commons - No! (too English)
O'Connor - No! (too shit)

Why didn't Burley pick McCormack or Whittaker?

I must admit I'm fearing a Georgia repeat!

Disagree there O'Connor is a big strong lad he can hold the ball up then play in the guys like Miller or McFadden to run at the defense.