McBurnie 'eternally grateful' after Scotland recall ahead of Nations League trip to Slovenia
Oli McBurnie has been recalled to the Scotland squad and spoke in La Manga as the team prepare for Nations League fixtures that include the trip to Slovenia on Saturday 26 September; he said he was "I'll be eternally grateful to the manager for giving me the chance."
On day one of his return to the Scotland fold after five long and controversial years outside the squad, McBurnie discussed a range of topics from his personal growth to his aim of ending a 16-game goals drought for his country. He began the interview with an anecdote about a large Scarface tattoo on his left arm and said, "It's my favourite film." Ahead of the Nations League matches against Slovenia (twice), Switzerland and North Macedonia he made plain his desire to score for Scotland, adding: "A tap-in on Saturday or one that goes in off my backside would be lovely."
McBurnie said a change of manager — the recall coming under Sebastien Pocognoli — gave him a fresh opportunity after being overlooked under Steve Clarke. He pointed to his club form as part of the reason for the recall: last season he scored 19 goals for Hull, including a 95th-minute play-off winner against Middlesbrough that took his club to the Premier League. He has not scored this season, but the article notes Hull are going well, his performances have been strong and he is the favourite to lead the line against Slovenia on Saturday.
He addressed the breakdown of his relationship with Clarke, describing a phone conversation before Clarke named his World Cup squad and saying he was told he was not in contention. McBurnie recounted: "I rang him and I said, 'I feel like I've been playing well' and I just wanted to know his reasoning for [leaving him out] and if there was something he wanted me to do to improve. It went the way it went." He added: "There were no sour notes. He explained to me his reasons and that's completely fair enough. I said I would keep performing, I'd keep trying to work my way into his plans. I never managed to do that."
On the emotional impact of being left out, McBurnie said: "I was gutted. I felt like I had something to add to the Scotland team. The pinnacle of football to me is representing your country and representing your country at a World Cup is as good as it gets. So, yeah, completely gutted." He also responded to perceptions that he was a disruptive presence in past squads, attributing much of that narrative to outside misunderstanding rather than testimony from people who worked with him.
McBurnie revisited a 2019 behind-the-scenes video in which he said he hoped he would not be called up to Scotland and explained the remark as a defensive, flippant reaction: "The video was from a behind-the-scenes thing," he said, and added, "Me being the person I am, I like to say a lot of things for reactions, stuff that you don't mean, funny things. I say things almost to protect myself from insecurities." He said he rang Clarke to apologise and quoted Clarke's response: "Yeah, I get it, but you'll have to apologise to all the lads" before noting, "That was it done and dusted. I went on to play however many games for Steve Clarke after that, but it's something that gets brought up. I get why it is."
Describing personal changes since his last cap, McBurnie said: "I was maybe 23-years-old, an insecure kid. I've definitely grown up. I'm a lot more confident and content with myself. There's a lot less need for me to say those things and hide behind them or anything else in life. It was silly." He added: "I've had two kids since I last won a cap. I have a fiancee. I've lived in Spain for a year [he was at Las Palmas]. I've done all sorts of things that have opened up my mind and given me gratitude. I'm a different person, 100%."
Scoring the winner at Wembley remains one of the greatest moments of his career, and breaking his Scotland duck would be significant to him: "It's got to me at times," he said. Pocognoli has given him the opportunity he wanted and, as McBurnie put it, the rest is up to him; Scotland's next fixture is Slovenia v Scotland on Saturday 26 September, 14:00 BST.