George Burley struggles to convince over handling of booze-gate

Apr 5 2009 Mark Guidi

George Burley met the press on Thursday morning at Hampden.

He threatened to bring the interview to an end when the subject of Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor came up.

At this time nobody, least of all Burley, knew the pair were about to be banned from Rangers and thrown out of the Scotland set-up.

Extremely uncomfortable answering questions, he hinted he might not select them for the Norway game in August. But then you're never really sure what George's answers mean.

He was clearly angry with the Ibrox pair for going on an eight hour drinking session after Saturday's 3-0 defeat to Holland.

But he refused to accept their boozy antics showed a lack of respect towards him.

Burley had given permission for the lads to have a few beers at their Loch Lomond base.

There was training arranged for 2pm but Ferguson and McGregor sat in the hotel's public bar until 12.15 lunchtime.

Witnesses claimed the duo were "as drunk as skunks" and complaints were made about them by other residents.

They only left the bar after coach Steven Pressley got involved. It's understood he had to help McGregor to his room.

On the boozing, Burley said: "What happened at the hotel was completely out of order.

"You try to trust people, treat them like adults. I can't hold their hands."

Burley dealt with that in his own way. From the outside it looked weak to put them on the bench against Iceland.

But they blew it by giving the V-sign as they sat in the dugout on Wednesday night. That couldn't be tolerated.

Yet, amazingly, when photos of this were put in front of Burley on Thursday morning, he offered a pathetic excuse.

He said: "I'm not going to pass judgement on one picture. You can't say anything definite about it. It's speculation."

Rangers and SFA President George Peat were more honest and assertive - while Burley once more just looked weak.