It’s been almost five years since Hull City striker Oli McBurnie last played for Scotland, and yet the debate surrounding his potential return to Steve Clarke’s squad is intensifying. Mention the name to a room full of Tartan Army members, and you’ll immediately spark attention – followed by a healthy dose of skepticism.
The former Sheffield United man, who has failed to score in 17 caps, endured a challenging relationship with the fanbase between 2018 and 2021. While eight of his nine goals have come in the Championship this season, the narrative surrounding his recall remains complex.
Despite missing two months of action through injury, only four players have scored more goals than McBurnie (nine) in the Championship this term. Adding his three assists, he boasts a combined goals contribution tally of 12 – placing him third in the division. His goals-per-90 ratio of 0.87 is the third-best, and he’s overperforming his expected goals rating by four. He also ranks within the Championship’s top 20 for blocks, clearances, tackles and possession won in the final third on a per-90 basis. Saturday’s winner against West Brom, his eighth in nine games, takes his all-time Championship tally to 53 in 138 matches across spells with Barnsley, Swansea, Sheffield United and Hull. A season-long spell in La Liga with relegated Las Palmas last term, where he scored five goals and set up six, will have also improved him as a player.
McBurnie’s Fractured Tartan Army Relationship
It’s fair to say that the connection between McBurnie and a significant portion of the Scotland faithful hasn’t been seamless. Seven of his caps were starts, four of which came during former head coach Alex McLeish’s troubled second tenure. Memories linger of him being in the XI for Scotland’s infamous 3-0 defeat in Kazakhstan, as opposed to his starting role in the Euro 2020 play-off semi-final win over Israel. He also scored a penalty in the iconic shootout win against Serbia in the play-off final. However, sections of the Tartan Army had been questioning his commitment a year prior, fuelled by unfortunate footage on Sheffield United’s TV channel.
How Does McBurnie Compare with Clarke’s Options?
Providing everyone stays fit, Clarke will only call in players he feels will improve his current group for next summer’s World Cup. McBurnie falls into that category, while talk rumbles on about Newcastle winger Harvey Barnes potentially being brought in. With suggestions World Cup squad sizes could be between 26 and 30, there are places to fill – so should McBurnie have a spot? Included in a 25-man squad for last month’s double-header with Greece and Denmark, Scotland’s striking options were Che Adams, Lyndon Dykes, Lawrence Shankland and George Hirst. At club level, only Hearts captain Shankland, who has played 845 minutes more than McBurnie, has outscored the Hull man, who has a far better minutes-per-goal average than each of the four forwards. Of course, the level of the league each of those players are playing in also has to come into any debate, but Ipswich’s Hirst and Dykes of Birmingham are also currently playing in England’s second tier.
Fuente: https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/eight-goals-nine-mcburnie-worth-094439438.html
