Netherlands warm up game.

[Caledonian Craig]

We are all here discussing international football so we can only judge both on that. That being the case then Dykes wins hands down. Dykes has found the net for us twice whereas McBurnie has not in around twice as many games. On top of that Dykes has given crucial assists to Fraser and Christie so his worth to Scotland's fortunes is far greater than McBurnie.

Now I get the argument on talking about the players outwith international football. You'd give the edge to McBurnie showing he can score in the EPL and he does have a better strike rate than Dykes at club level. Plus the fact he has been involved in multi-million pound transfers and Dykes hasn't suggests there is more to McBurnie.

However, we return to the subject in hand - Scotland career and performances and Dykes wins out comfortably at present. Maybe McBurnie will return to the side and have the last word but I don't see it at the moment. Some times international football is a struggle for many. Look at Charlie Adam - much revered for his club form but was piss poor for Scotland. And there are others like that down through the years. Sometimes it just never clicks for great club footballers at international football (not saying McBurnie is that yet) but we can be grateful for Oli as he kept his head in that crucial penalty shoot out V Serbia and I believe so also V Israel.

[Texas Pete]

47 minutes ago, Tartan blood said:

When it comes to international football, and especially big tournaments, a major part of that is mentality, not just ability. I agree that, ability-wise, there probably isn't too much between them, but for whatever reason McBurnie hasn't been able to make that step up, which I can only imagine is some sort of mental block. Whereas Dykes seemed to just slot in effortlessly.

Getting that first goal can make such a difference. I do wonder if McBurnie had buried even just one of those chances that hit the post we'd be seeing a different player. 

I'm really glad all 3 of our strikers have at least 1 goal to their name now going into the tournament.

Yeah agreed. McBurnie obviously has some issues off the field and has never really shown what he can do for the senior team but I wonder what people would be saying about him if both of the chances that came off the bar had went in. 

Leigh Griffiths got similar stick (probably not as bad) before he buried those two free kicks against England. 

Yeah it’s good that our centre forwards in the squad at the moment all have at least one goal each. Hopefully they’ll add to their tallies in a couple of weeks. 

[Texas Pete]

29 minutes ago, Caledonian Craig said:

We are all here discussing international football so we can only judge both on that. That being the case then Dykes wins hands down. Dykes has found the net for us twice whereas McBurnie has not in around twice as many games. On top of that Dykes has given crucial assists to Fraser and Christie so his worth to Scotland's fortunes is far greater than McBurnie.

Now I get the argument on talking about the players outwith international football. You'd give the edge to McBurnie showing he can score in the EPL and he does have a better strike rate than Dykes at club level. Plus the fact he has been involved in multi-million pound transfers and Dykes hasn't suggests there is more to McBurnie.

However, we return to the subject in hand - Scotland career and performances and Dykes wins out comfortably at present. Maybe McBurnie will return to the side and have the last word but I don't see it at the moment. Some times international football is a struggle for many. Look at Charlie Adam - much revered for his club form but was piss poor for Scotland. And there are others like that down through the years. Sometimes it just never clicks for great club footballers at international football (not saying McBurnie is that yet) but we can be grateful for Oli as he kept his head in that crucial penalty shoot out V Serbia and I believe so also V Israel.

I’m not sure anyone has said McBurnie has been better in international football. I certainly haven’t. 

I just think it’s strange when people say he is a terrible footballer. He’s not. Anyone with a pair of eyes and a half decent knowledge of football who has seen him play for his club(s) over the last few years would know he’s actually not a bad player. 

If someone has only seen him play for Scotland then I can understand why they would think he was poor. For whatever reason he has never hit form for Scotland. That doesn’t mean he can’t in future - if he sorts his head out and gets back into the squad, which will be tough for him. 

[Caledonian Craig]

1 minute ago, Texas Pete said:

I’m not sure anyone has said McBurnie has been better in international football. I certainly haven’t. 

I just think it’s strange when people say he is a terrible footballer. He’s not. Anyone with a pair of eyes and a half decent knowledge of football who has seen him play for his club(s) over the last few years would know he’s actually not a bad player. 

If someone has only seen him play for Scotland then I can understand why they would think he was poor. For whatever reason he has never hit form for Scotland. That doesn’t mean he can’t in future - if he sorts his head out and gets back into the squad, which will be tough for him. 

Agreed. McBurnie is not a terrible footballer by a long shot. People will paint that picture because he is currently a scapegoat. Every club and every country gets a scapegoat or two and at present he is one of Scotland's.

He may never crack it for Scotland but it does not make him a rubbish footballer. Look at Charlie Adam, David Speedie, Gary Gillespie and many many more who had great club careers but never cracked international football.