Burley Uses Pen to Help Scotland Improve Position
Apparently, Scotland Coach Craig Brown reads the papers. Most often, that’s a problematic endeavor for a coach during the World Cup, but occasionally it can be useful--like when your starting midfielder is guest-writing a column for the Times of London.
Hours before Scotland’s 1-1 tie with Norway on Tuesday in Bordeaux, Brown probably happened on these words from one of his top players, Craig Burley:
“I normally play for Scotland as a wing back on the right,” Burley wrote, “but it is no secret that I prefer my club position, in the centre of midfield.
“The wing back job is a tricky one because there is a lot of ground to cover. . . . It is a tough job mentally as well as physically. Even if I am not in the centre of the midfield this evening, I still hope I can come inside and have a few shots.”
Down a goal in the second half of a game Scotland could not afford to lose, Brown granted Burley his wish by bringing on a pair of substitutions, juggling his midfield and moving Burley to central midfielder.
Moments later, one of those substitutes, David Weir, freed Burley behind the Norwegian defense with a perfectly placed 25-yard lob. Beating defender Stig Bjornebye to the ball on the first bounce, Burley volleyed a chip shot over the onrushing Norwegian goalkeeper, Frode Grodas, that landed in the back of net for a stunning equalizer.
Burley’s goal celebration, in front of a section of delirious Scottish supporters, was almost as memorable as the goal itself. Beaming the very grin of Scottish football--all teeth, except for the two big ones missing up front--Burley swaggered over to the corner flag and swatted it like a speed bag in some dank boxing gymnasium in Glasgow.
For Scotland, the goal meant revenge and salvation--keeping Scotland in contention for a berth in the second round while putting the boot to Norway Coach Egil Olsen’s ill-advised assessment of Scotland being “the weakest side in the group.”
As for Norway, Olsen’s pre-tournament braggadocio about his team eventually meeting Brazil for the World Cup title suddenly seems like so much hot air. After consecutive draws with Morocco and Scotland, Norway now faces the unlikely prospect of having to defeat Brazil next Tuesday in Marseille to qualify for the second round.
If Norway ties or loses, Scotland, which lost to Brazil, 2-1, last week, can advance with a victory over Morocco on Tuesday in Saint-Etienne.
“I’m disappointed by our performance,” Olsen said. “We lost our concentration and we were, in fact, lucky we didn’t lose.”
Norway took the lead in the 46th minute, seconds after the second-half kickoff, when Havard Flo headed in a cross from Vidar Riseth. That forced Brown to utilize his bench earlier than he had wanted because, as he put it, “When we went behind, there was no [other] option. We had to gamble and move forward.”
