Oliver Burke’s struggles for Scotland continued on Thursday night, playing in the Tartan Army’s 4-0 hammering in Russia - a result which ended any faint hopes of qualifying for Euro 2020.
The former Nottingham Forest academy graduate was replaced after just 45 minutes by Lawrence Shankland having picked up a back problem, failing to take his chance after being played up front by boss Steve Clarke in a goalless first half.
Jackie McNamara, the ex-Celtic man, admitted Burke’s performance was below-par, even if he wasn’t helped out by the way Scotland performed on the night in Moscow.
“They didn’t have a massive amount of options but I think they just tried to keep playing along the lines of trying to catch them out on the break, put it into corners with his pace,” he told Football Insider .
“It didn’t prove to be any case at all, we didn’t create opportunities and he didn’t take his opportunity to go and create something which was obviously disappointing.
“You look at Johnny Russell, I thought he might have started the game as an out-and-out centre forward rather than playing different parts.
“He does well for his side Johnny, not the same pace as Burke but he’s not slow. I think he’ll be disappointed he didn’t get on.”
Burke has struggled to pin down regular football since leaving Forest for German side Leipzig in a £13m deal three years ago.
The winger moved back to England and joined West Brom before heading out on loan to Celtic, after struggling to impress Slaven Bilic, he's now plying his trade in Spain with Alaves.
And McNamara admits that he’s still unsure of the 22-year-old's most suitable position.
“It’s hard to say what position the lad is, Brendan brought him in at Celtic as a second striker, sometimes he played as a striker, every manager’s different but you’re hoping he’s got other options there.”
