Burley instils his World Cup vision

Burley, however, insists there will be changes in personnel for his first match in charge, a friendly against Croatia at Hampden on 26 March as he looks at ways to improve on the performance levels which ran France and Italy so close in the race for a place in this summer's European Championship.

It will be the fifth successive major tournament finals Scotland have missed out on, and Burley says his players cannot afford to rest on their laurels if they are to end the cycle of failure and book a place in South Africa in two years time.

"Things won't just happen for them, they have to make them happen," said Burley. "It's important we get input from the players. We have to look at ways of improving and that must come from the players. It is good for me to meet them for the first time this week and I tried to keep the same squad of boys who had been involved in the last campaign when they did so well and did the country proud.

"Alex (McLeish] did a smashing job and Walter (Smith] was good, but we have to move on. We'll bring all the positive factors and add something else which will take us that stage further. I have no doubt there will be changes for the Croatia game. I'll have more time to assess players and speak to other people before then.

"There are a lot of younger players out there. The question is the timing of bringing them in and I'll have to assess that. The Croatia game is a big test. It will be a cracking game for us at Hampden and will allow us to assess our performance levels and look at one or two different things."

Burley has identified central defence as a priority in his plans to reshape the squad. David Weir, the 37-year-old Rangers defender, has outlined his determination to remain a part of the Scotland set-up for another campaign, but the manager is concerned by the lack of cover for the position.

"Centre-back is an area we have to look at," he said. "I had breakfast with David this morning and he's enjoying his football. He's been surprised by how well it's gone at Rangers. I had two weeks at Falkirk with him as a player many years ago and I was impressed with him there. I looked at him on Sunday for Rangers against Hibs, and he's still performing at a high level. I am certainly not ruling him out but, at 37, we have to look at alternatives because he won't last forever."

Two men well versed in the art of central defence, Terry Butcher and Steven Pressley, were formally installed as Burley's backroom team yesterday, and the manager outlined the qualities he feels his former Ipswich Town team-mate and former captain at Hearts bring to the Scotland set-up.

"When I was looking for people to assist me, I wanted top quality," said Burley. "I wanted somebody I knew really well, somebody who knew the Scottish game inside out, a great coach and motivator, a character and someone with good experience at international level.

"That's why I came up with Terry and the bottom line is that he has all those attributes. I was very pleased Terry accepted it.

"Steven was captain at Hearts, he's a big personality, he wants to move into management or coaching and he knows the players inside out and knows what makes them tick. For me, they are two tremendous appointments at a time when we're trying to improve the team."

As he was at his introductory media conference last month, Burley was almost evangelical yesterday when discussing his desire to lead Scotland to the World Cup Finals. Last night, he showed his squad a specially compiled DVD of previous Scotland appearances at the finals as part of his motivational tactics for the campaign ahead.

"Getting back to a World Cup is my vision, it's my aim and it's my dream," he said. "I want the players to visualise it, too.

"The players have been positive and competing so well against top nations has given them confidence and belief. There are eight games in the qualifying section and we have to be totally focussed.

"It was nice to have a chat with the players and, hopefully, they'll go home and look at the build-up, which is starting now.

"We want them to have motivation. They must have belief, determination and vision or it won't happen. The World Cup is the pinnacle for any player or manager. If everyone sticks together, why won't it happen?"

WHO DOES WHAT IN NEW SET-UP

THE TACTICIAN

George Burley may have hired help in the shape of experienced club manager Terry Butcher and senior international Steven Pressley, but there should be no doubt over who is in charge. Scotland's tactical approach will be laid down by Burley, and he will select the team. He will obviously seek input from Butcher and Pressley, but Scotland will play in Burley's style and shape.

THE MOTIVATOR

As indicated above, Terry Butcher has not been hired to drill Scotland on 4-4-3, 4-3-3 or 4-5-1. The defender who was capped 77 times by England has been hired as a big personality who can motivate players. The former Motherwell manager carries great respect in Scotland, having settled north of the border in 1986, and younger players will listen to an individual who gave his all for his country. Butcher will also fill the role of the joker, trying to fill the "good cop" shoes which fitted Ally McCoist so well in the Walter Smith era.

THE GO-BETWEEN

With no coaching experience, Steven Pressley is a surprise choice as Burley's No3 in the national team set-up, but he has made no secret of his desire to go into coaching when his playing career comes to an end. For the moment, he bridges the age gap between the rank and file of the squad – which he hopes to remain part of – and the older generation of Burley and Butcher.

HUTTON CAN BE 'BEST FULL-BACK IN EUROPE'

ALAN Hutton is on course to become the finest e
xponent of attacking full-back play in European football, according to new Scotland manager George Burley.

A right-back of some renown himself with Ipswich Town and Scotland, Burley has been hugely impressed by Hutton and believes his £9million transfer from Rangers to Tottenham will see the 23-year-old continue his rapid development as a top quality player.

"I saw Alan Hutton play for Rangers against St Mirren two weeks ago in the first match I watched after getting the Scotland job," said Burley. "You could see his attributes and he has the capability of becoming the best attacking full-back in Europe.

"With the competition he is going to have at Tottenham, it will really push him on. The Premiership in England is a very difficult league and this will be a big challenge for Alan.

"He thought long and hard about the move but it's certainly one that will push him on."

Taken from the Scotsman