BURKE WILL PROVE HE HAS THE GOODS
Gemmill tips Oliver to put club and country woes behind him
IN lIMBo, in demand and, if Scotland are lucky, in the mood to make a few doubters think twice before writing him off.
when oliver Burke turns up for Scotland Under-21s’ european Championship qualifier against the Netherlands early next month, the odds are that he won’t be playing his club football at rB leipzig — the Bundesliga club who famously forked out £13million for the young attacker last January.
Crystal Palace are poised to reimburse leipzig — with another couple of million in recognition of inflation — for their investment and offer Burke a crack at the Premier league, with manager Frank de Boer and new sporting director Dougie Freedman both fans of the 20-year-old.
whatever happens, the feeling that Burke’s move to Germany hasn’t quite worked out, that he hasn’t lived up to expectations, will be hard to shake.
Gemmill is almost counting on it, declaring: ‘oliver is obviously, hopefully, going to be coming with a real point to prove. Not just with what has happened with the national team but his club, as well.
‘he’s said himself that he’s determined not to sulk, determined to improve himself.’
Demoted from the senior squad by Scotland boss Gordon Strachan but a willing captain during the young team’s run to the semi-finals of the prestigious toulon tournament, Burke is likely to spearhead the attack for Gemmill.
‘oliver was incredible in the summer, in terms of his application,’ said the Under-21s boss. ‘In a way, we shouldn’t have expected anything else, knowing him as we do.
‘I went to see him during preseason in Austria recently and he spoke really well. we weren’t sure at that time if Gordon was going to take him for the full squad.
‘the fact that he hasn’t, we benefit from that. Now we really need to use the weapons he’s got, his power and his pace.
‘I honestly couldn’t tell you what is going on behind the scenes (at his club). But I know from speaking to him that there’s no question he’ll be coming to give his maximum.
‘would I be disappointed to see him move? that’s a question for oliver. he has got himself that move, he’s really determined and ambitious. It’s about how he sees his pathway, the opportunities he’s going to get.
‘he knows that we’ll support him whatever he decides.’
If Burke remains the stand-out name in the squad picked to face the Netherlands in Paisley on September 5, Gemmill points to Celtic pair Calvin Miller and Anthony ralston as beacons of hope for home-based youngsters.
More than pleased to see them handed Premiership starts for the reigning champions, Gemmill said: ‘It’s credit to them that their manager is trusting them to play in a team that’s been so successful.
‘But, at the same time, it shows everybody who asks: “where are they? where are these young players coming through?” that they are there.
‘So credit to tony and Calvin for pushing themselves through to this point.
‘they’ve only played a couple of games. But you don’t get to play for that team unless the manager trusts you to play. So the fact that Brendan rodgers has trusted them to play at that level, in that team, you’ve got to give credit to the players.
‘It’s a real motivation for all the players, not just at Celtic but throughout Scotland.’
Miller was listed among the defenders in the official squad sheet distributed yesterday — recognition of the fact that he has been deployed at left-back for his club.
Yet Gemmill revealed: ‘the Scottish FA have issued the team sheet (with him) in position and, if it was up to me, that wouldn’t be the case.
‘he’s shown that he can play left-back at a very good level but, if you speak to Calvin, it would be a good question to ask him.
‘If you are getting into Celtic’s team at left-back and Brendan rodgers is trusting him to play left-back, then it’s something for Calvin to think about.
‘there’s a lot of competition in that position in the senior squad at the moment.’
the SFA are still waiting for Manchester United kid Scott Mctominay — english-born but with Scottish roots — to commit himself to the country.
Gemmill revealed that he had been to see the 6ft 4ins playmaker play and spoke to United coach ricky Sbragia, explaining: ‘the player has asked for more time. we have done everything we can to let him know how committed we are to getting him involved.
‘we are confident we have done everything we can to let him know how wanted he is.’