Burley names first training squad

New Scotland manager George Burley has called up 27 players to a training session and first team meeting set for 3-5 February. Here’s the list.

Goalkeepers
Alexander (Ipswich)
Gordon (Sunderland)
McGregor (Rangers)
Marshall (Norwich)

Defenders
Alexander (Burnley)
Anderson (Sunderland)
Caldwell (Celtic)
Dailly (West Ham)
Hutton (Rangers)
McManus (Celtic)
Murty (Reading)
Naysmith (Sheffield United)
Weir (Rangers)

Midfielders
Brown (Celtic)
Ferguson (Rangers)
Fletcher (Manchester United)
Hartley (Celtic)
McCulloch (Rangers)
Pearson (Derby)
Robson (Dundee United)
Teale (Derby)

Strikers
Beattie (West Brom)
Boyd (Rangers)
McFadden (Birmingham)
Maloney (Aston Villa)
Miller (Derby)
O’Connor (Birmingham)

To me, conspicuously missing from this list are the following: Aberdeen keeper Jamie Langfield, who has kept the Dons alive in all competitions, even through a harsh offensive slump. He’s not challenging Craig Gordon anytime soon, or even Alan McGregor’s second-place position, but he deserves a call up. Rangers’ Steven Naismith has also had a fair run of form, and I assumed he would be moving toward at least a regular substitute place. His exclusion from the call-up list is baffling. I continue to be a bit concerned about the age of the back four, and I would have liked to see a youngster like Jay McEvely in there, even if he’s not in playing form, just to get up to speed with the team.

Still, good to start seeing some decisions from Burley. Don’t forget about Naismith, though. Just because we finally (and thankfully) have a non-Rangers man in the job doesn’t mean we should overlook one of the best rosters in the country.