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Page last updated at 11:45 GMT, Sunday, 13 December 2009

Burley has desire for club return

George Burley
Burley paid for Scotland's failure to qualify for the World Cup finals

George Burley has declared himself ready to return to club football and believes his experience with Scotland has made him a better manager.

"It was a great experience and a great honour," the 53-year-old, sacked in November, told BBC Radio 5 live.

"But there's no doubt you miss the day-to-day involvement.

"It was something that has made me stronger, made me a better manager and now I'm looking forward to getting back into club football."

Burley was relieved of his duties after the 3-0 friendly defeat by Wales in Cardiff that followed Scotland's failure to qualify for the 2010 World Cup finals.

"I don't think there are many people who have the opportunity to manage their own country and I was very fortunate," he said.

You are very restricted as a national manager as far as being out on the training ground and working with players

George Burley

"It was great coming back to Scotland and giving it my best shot as far as trying to take the country to the World Cup play-offs or finals, but it wasn't to be."

However, Burley says he missed the day-to-day involvement with players he had in 15 years of club management with Ayr United, Colchester United, Ipswich Town, Derby County, Hearts and Southampton.

"In the last couple of years, you were going six weeks and two months without any training sessions and with no games," he said.

"When you have been used to every-day involvement on the training ground since you were 15 years old as a player and manager, you do miss it."

Burley, who played for Scotland at full-back and spent most of his playing career with Ipswich, made an inauspicious start to his management career, being sacked by Ayr despite twice reaching the Challenge Cup final.

However, it took off on his return to Portman Road, leading Ipswich to three play-offs before finally winning promotion to the Premier League.

He guided the East Anglian outfit to fifth place and qualification for the Uefa Cup, earning him the 2000-01 manager of the year award, only to lose his job after their subsequent relegation.

Internal politics cut short his resurrection of Derby County's fortunes and, despite leading Hearts to the top of the Scottish Premier League after 10 games in charge of the Edinburgh club, that stunning start counted for nothing after a disagreement with new owner Vladimir Romanov.

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The controversial appointment of former England rugby coach Sir Clive Woodward somewhat overshadowed Southampton's progress to the play-offs under Burley.

His subsequent move into international management was marred by fall-outs with Rangers players Kris Boyd, Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor, but it was poor results on the field of play that led to his sacking.

However, he hopes that his past record in club management will attract potential employers.

"You are very restricted as a national manager as far as being out on the training ground and working with players, giving them your own ideas and bringing young players through, which you would do with a club," he added.

"So I am certainly looking forward to getting back into club football."



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see also
Give Dalglish Scots job - Brown
12 Dec 09 |  Internationals
Capello backs Scala's Scots bid
11 Dec 09 |  Internationals
Scots FA cancels Petrescu meeting
09 Dec 09 |  Internationals
Burley sacked as Scotland manager
16 Nov 09 |  Internationals


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