Peat pleads for loyalty to Burley

George Peat, the Scottish Football Association president, has told any players considering following Kris Boyd into international exile to get behind manager George Burley instead. Boyd told Burley he no longer wanted to play for him after being left on the bench for Saturday's goalless World Cup qualifier against Norway.

Lee McCulloch, the striker's Rangers team-mate, retired from international football at the age of 30 the previous month and some reports claim others could follow. Peat said: "We've heard these stories, but the players are the manager's responsibility and they are the ones that have got to respond to him."

The Hampden-based official criticised the timing of Boyd's announcement, hours after Scotland had suffered a disappointing blow in their World Cup qualifying campaign when debutant forward Chris Iwelumo missed an open goal.

"Kris Boyd is entitled to his opinion, but from my point of view the timing was very bad," Peat said. "I've been in football for 30 years, and it doesn't matter what team you are associated with – people who don't play every week are always unhappy."

While Peat criticised the timing, the Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond felt that was the key to Boyd's decision. And the Scottish National Party leader called for the Rangers striker to reconsider.

"I think it's disappointment speaking," said Salmond, who was at Hampden to announce a sponsorship deal for the Scottish Cup. "We are all Scotland fans, I'm a Scotland fan, I was here on Saturday, and just think how you felt on Saturday night. I thought the headline 'Aw, no' in the paper summed it up.

"So Kris Boyd on Saturday night would be feeling awfully disappointed, and sometimes disappointment speaks. Everybody should realise that the country, the team, is more important than any individual, and of course nobody should take that choice."

Salmond added: "But I've got a feeling that's disappointment speaking and when he gets time to reflect on it, and put things in perspective, then he will perhaps come to a different conclusion."

Burley was far stronger in his criticism of Boyd, accusing him of turning his back on Scotland, and Peat praised the manager for speaking his mind. "Personally, I always thought George wasn't bullish enough with the press," Peat said. "But I understand he was bullish yesterday and I'm delighted that he did that."

And Peat backed Burley to take Scotland to the World Cup finals despite top place in Group Nine looking beyond them after three games. "We are obviously disappointed," he added. "If a certain gentleman had stuck the ball in the net from two yards we wouldn't have been depressed as we were over the weekend. But we are still two points ahead of Norway. Things have changed, it would look like we want Holland to win all their other games, it's really the play-off position we are competing for."

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