By Clive Lindsay

Burley realises he has a couple of hard acts to follow

George Burley will lead Scotland out for the first time at Hampden Park looking to emerge from the shadows.

The success of previous managerial incumbents Walter Smith and Alex McLeish looms large.

And Burley's preparations for Wednesday's friendly against Croatia have been overshadowed by a number of high-profile injury call-offs.

Saturday's Old Firm derby between SPL leaders Rangers and reigning champions Celtic has stolen the limelight.

Media conference: Scotland manager George Burley

And, while Burley has chosen particularly talented opponents for his first game as national manager, Hampden will be well short of capacity.

The Scottish FA insists that 25,000 pre-match-day sales is a reasonable number considering it is a friendly taking place at a time when much football is being played - and paid for by the punters.

These players are desperate to play for their country, I can assure you of that Scotland manager George Burley

But Burley will be hoping that the momentum built by Smith and carried on by McLeish is not lost among a sometimes fickle Scottish football public.

The man who has swapped the battle to keep Southampton in the promotion hunt in England's Championship for the international stage has done his bit already by impressing with his own enthusiasm.

"I am very excited about the game coming up and very honoured to lead a team out at Hampden," he told BBC Sport after rising early on Wednesday morning before training.

"It's a new era for me, one to look forward to and it's going to be a big challenge."

Burley knows that expectations are higher now than at any time for a number of years after Scotland went close to denying France and Italy a place at the Euro 2008 finals.

"The team has done excellently well under Walter Smith and Alex McLeish," said Burley.

"So hopefully we can build in the next two or three games and get ourselves right for the World Cup qualifier against Macedonia in September."

Burley knows that he faces a different set of challenges to the ones he faced as a club manager with the Saints, Hearts, Ipswich and Ayr United.

"I have spoken to Alex and Walter lately and to Sir Bobby Robson, who is a legend all over the world and managed England for a time," he said.

"But I've been involved in football since 1971 as a player and the last 16 years as a manager.

MY SPORT: DEBATE I'm actually quite pleased that Burley's assumption of the hot-seat has been kept relatively low profile, just like Smith and McLeish before him ajm1874

"You hope the experience you have gained in football will stand you in good stead."

Burley shrugged off the controversy over four injury withdrawals from Rangers ahead of their game against Celtic, who have only one player absent from his squad.

"We make sure they come and we have our own medical staff," he said.

"We have a game on the Wednesday and they are not fit enough for Wednesday and you move on.

"I think there's been too much said, because all these players are desperate to play for their country, I can assure you of that."

Burley has a reputation for attacking football, but he hinted that the more conservative approach that worked for Smith and McLeish might not yet be abandoned.

"We will be going out to win games, but in international football it is a different style because you are up against the best players in the world," he said.

Burley insists that the performance will be paramount against Croatia, but you feel certain that this quiet but passionate man - just like the Scottish public - will also demand a first victory in a friendly at Hampden since 1996.