Burley won just three of his 14 games in charge and his sacking follows the 3-0 friendly defeat in Cardiff on Saturday.

Being a Dundee United fan, it would presumably be welcome news that club legend Paul Hegarty has joined George Burley's coaching staff for the national side. The fact that he only collected a handful of caps in his playing career is surely nothing to be worried about – there are after all a number of high-profile backroom string-pullers with comparable experience – but it isn't just the emotional, tactical and judgment-related rollercoaster ride of Burley's reign that flavours this appointment with a lack of ambition.

Scotland's 0-3 defeat to Wales at the weekend has all but sealed Burley's fate, however, and reports from Bonnie Scotland state George will soon be on the dole. But who would replace Burley? And are Scotland's failures really a management issue? Graeme Souness may have just crossed himself off a few Christmas card lists as he told the press he wouldn't want the Scotland job primarily because the country has produced no talent to work with.

Burley's assistants, Terry Butcher and Paul Hegarty, were also released, 48 hours after Scotland succumbed to a 3-0 friendly defeat by Wales. The SFA had decided against dismissing Burley last month following a review of the national squad's failure to reach the World Cup qualifying play-offs. But Saturday's humiliation in Cardiff proved .