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A PILLAR IN DEFENCE STILL; Barnstorming Butcher hits out at critics of pal Burley and insists Saturday's tie is the biggest game of his life.

Article Excerpt
Byline: by STEPHEN McGOWAN

HE BEGAN a rabblerousing address to the nation yesterday by throwing a folded copy of this esteemed organ to the ground. Had the People's Friend been the publication closest to Terry Butcher, then George Burley's assistant might still have done the same thing.

Scotland's management have wearied of criticism. So sustained has the vitriol and nit-picking been from the fourth estate since last month's humiliation in Norway that discrimination now seems pointless.

A beleaguered Burley has long since ceased reading the headlines. By his own admission, Butcher finds it more difficult to ignore the back pages, but still believes the nation could end up reading of a happy ending to Scotland's World Cup qualifying campaign.

His optimism ahead of the key double-header with Macedonia and Holland is infectious, yet far from widespread.

Perhaps only Burley, his friend and long-term colleague, harbours greater faith than his No 2. For all the negativity since a 4-0 defeat in Oslo, the national team coach retains a resolutely positive outlook.

Asked how he might have dealt with the kind of criticism aimed in Burley's direction, Butcher shone a light into the carefully guarded mindset of his former team-mate.

'Oh, I would have a few of you by the f ****** throat, I'll tell you,' he said. 'But George, and this is typical of him, lives for football. He just disregards everything else and is focused on the job and how we are going to play.

'It takes some mental strength to do that. It's phenomenal. I'm not saying that I'm mentally weaker than he is, although possibly I am, but I carry my emotions more.

'I have been gutted for George. I did phone...

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