Why critics of Sheffield United and Scotland striker Oli McBurnie have got him all wrong
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“I can remember one time, when we were watching a match between us and England at school,” he said. “Everyone else was wearing an England shirt, as you’d probably expect, because it was near Leeds. I wasn’t though. I was the only one sat there with my Scotland top on. You can probably imagine the amount of stick I was getting but I didn’t care one bit. I was proud to be there with it on.”
Tomorrow, when Steve Clarke’s side hope to take another step towards next summer’s European Championships by beating Israel in a play-off, McBurnie hopes he will enjoy a chance to silence some of those who, after being handed the ammunition, began firing it in his direction and made him a scapegoat for the squad’s difficulties of late. Much of the criticism started when a joke, shared with his United and international colleague John Fleck, inadvertently found its way on to social media. It increased when, after Chris Wilder and Clarke decided McBurnie was not fit enough to take part in Scotland’s Nations League tie against the Israelis, he then appeared as a second-half substitute during United’s pre-season friendly against Derby County. It was the right call - “There’s a world of difference between what we’ve just had and leading the line in an international,” Wilder later reminded - but if the reasons had been communicated earlier by both McBurnie’s club and country, it would surely have spared the striker a whole lot of hurt.
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Hide Ad“If we can get there, it would be such a proud moment,” McBurnie, whose compatriot Oliver Burke joined United earlier summer, said. “I’ll be doing everything I can, whatever that is, to try and make sure we do. I’m so proud to play for Scotland and to get to the Euro’s would be a reward for everyone who follows us.”