Burke is not a Bale but he can be a star

Hartson has high hopes for Oliver

IT IS probably no bad thing Oliver Burke is built like the proverbial brick outhouse. As a consequence of the teenager moving from Nottingham Forest to RB Leipzig for £13million in August, he has found himself with the hopes of a nation resting on his shoulders.

This is where Scotland are at these days. In the ongoing absence of the kind of world-class talents we used to effortlessly churn out, good players are deemed to be greats, mediocre talents are elevated to international class. And emerging players such as Burke find themselves the subject of ludicrous comparisons with bona fide superstars such as Gareth Bale. For John Hartson, a man who knows the real deal when he sees one, the desperation of the Tartan Army to see someone like Burke lift the Scotland side to the levels attained this summer by a Bale-inspired Wales is entirely understandable.

But a sober appraisal of the situation leaves him bewildered that anyone can honestly believe the players — despite their physical similarities — are in any way deserving of yet being mentioned in the same breath.

‘I think it’s ridiculous,’ said the former Celtic striker. ‘I can understand that Scotland are searching for a Gareth Bale because I don’t think you’ve got one world-class player. Scotland are searching for that one superstar that they’ve had in the past. A (Kenny) Dalglish or (Denis) Law.

‘I just think it is putting immense pressure on him if he is being compared to Gareth Bale. Bale as he is unique. He’s right up there with John Charles and Ryan Giggs, who won 38 trophies and is the most decorated footballer in British football history. Bale has two Champions Leagues in the last three years and what he has done for Wales has been unbelievable.

‘So I think it’s a bit harsh to put that kind of pressure on young Burke’s shoulders. Just let him flourish, naturally.

‘He has potential but that’s all it is. He’s a good, young player and he is exciting. His physical presence is fantastic and he is quick. But he’s got to be allowed to develop — he’s got to be cut free, if you like. Potentially, he could be world class but to be comparing him to Gareth Bale is totally wrong.’

For all the hype and hoopla that accompanied Burke’s eye-watering transfer to Germany, who among those who saw him for 57 minutes against Lithuania at Hampden last month could honestly disagree with the Welshman’s assessment?

Although his pace and drive were at times evident, on many occasions moves broke down through him. Viewing him as a work in progress, Gordon Strachan omitted him from the squad for Slovakia.

Perhaps, come Friday night at Wembley, the player will arrive on the international stage in the most timely fashion.

A game-defining display has the potential to shift public opinion. The great white hope might just morph into the real deal. Hartson would like nothing more than to reassess his view.

‘I like Burke,’ he insisted. ‘He’s a big, strong powerful young man. But I’d played 45 games for Arsenal by the time I was 19. I wasn’t world class but I played with (Dennis) Bergkamp, (Ian) Wright and (Paul) Merson. He’s potentially a star in the making but he’s got to be given the time to progress, to develop.

‘He’s at Leipzig in the Bundesliga. I’m a big fan of German football and they have magnificent crowds over there. I think it’s a place where he can develop.

‘But Gareth Bale raises the level of expectation and he is a match winner. He can win games on his own. Wales scored 11 goals in the qualifiers and he scored seven and assisted three. That’s how important Gareth Bale is to Wales.

‘What he brings is that x-factor that can win you a game when you are going nowhere. When it’s fizzling out to a 0-0 or even a 1-0 defeat, that’s when he produces.’

What Scotland would give to have such an ace card up their sleeve this week. Scott Brown’s return to the international fold — perhaps for one night only — may have been generally welcomed but even against an England side without their own troubles to seek the task remains considerable.

‘If you take all the pride and passion out of it, I think Scotland will have a tough night,’ added Hartson. ‘I’m not a massive fan of England. I don’t think they are playing particularly well. They are well overhyped. I keep hearing they’re this, they’re that...I don’t see it.

‘They’ve got a lot of players who are perceived in the media to be better than they really are. They don’t have anything near the previous talent of England teams down the years.

‘They don’t have a (Paul) Gascoigne. They don’t have solidity at the back. There’s not an (Tony) Adams, a (Gary) Neville or a (Terry) Butcher. I think they’re very mediocre.

‘In the last two tournaments, they’ve won one game in seven. They didn’t win a game in the World Cup in Brazil and they won one game out of four in the Euros this year — a last-minute winner from (Daniel) Sturridge to beat Wales.

‘But it’s Wembley and England will be favourites to win the game.’

After the thin gruel of Malta, Lithuania and Slovakia, Friday’s is a game to get the blood pumping.

Temporarily, speculation over strachan’s future will fade into the background. even the implications for the qualifying section are secondary compared with the chance to win a game for the ages.

‘scotland won’t need a manager for that game,’ hartson added. ‘it will be like an Old Firm game — Martin O’Neill used to tell us: “listen to that. listen to what it means to the crowd. Just go and do your jobs. We’re better than them, just go and do it.” And that’s what we did.

‘The week after, when we played st Mirren or Dundee, that’s when the team talk comes in. You’ve got to find that same level of performance. Don’t disrespect these guys, have the same mental attitude for every single game — that’s when the team talk comes in.

‘When scotland play the likes of Malta at home, that’s when Gordon has to do his team talk — not england away.

‘The players will be naturally up for that game. They won’t need a team talk.

‘They’ll hear the crowd — there will be 50,000 Tartan Army fans there.

‘But i think it will be a difficult night for them on the back of their results like losing so poorly against slovakia. There is pressure on the manager to get a result but i think england will win the game.

‘But are scotland capable of going down there and getting a result? Of course they are.

‘it might come down to the team he picks. he’s had a bit of criticism for not picking leigh Griffiths. it’s his prerogative — he picks the team.

‘And if he leaves a natural goalscorer out, he has to face questions on that.

‘But it will be a difficult game for scotland, i really do think that.’

John Hartson was speaking as Kiltwalk announced it was opening up to all charities in 2017 for its walks in Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh.