Some of Scotland's players were "too thick" to understand George Burley's coaching methods, according to the sacked manager's nephew, Craig.

Craig, who earned 46 caps for his country between 1995 and 2003, also claimed some of the squad were not good enough but was not surprised his uncle - who managed Saints for over two years prior to answering his country's call in January 2008 - was given the chop last night.

He said: "I'm not shocked at all. Wales was a disastrous result.

"It's not as if we were playing England or Brazil or France, it was Wales and it was unacceptable from the manager's and players' point of view.

"I don't think what he wanted to do got across to some players and also I think some of them are too thick to take it on board and not good enough to take it on board anyway to be perfectly honest with you.

"But he can look at most of the players in the eye and ask if they did a good job for him and I don't think there are many, if any, who can say, 'Yes, I did'.

"So he hasn't been able to get the players to perform for him, he hasn't been able to get them to understand what he wants the right formation and right results and, at the end of the day, that's all that matters."

A total of 52 players featured for Scotland while Burley was manager.

The search for Burley's successor began in earnest today, with Scottish Football Association chief executive Gordon Smith determined to find "the best possible replacement".

Speculation is already rife over who will fill the shoes of a man who claimed only three wins in 14 attempts before the axe finally fell less than two years into his troubled tenure.

Dundee United manager Craig Levein has been installed as the early favourite by the bookmakers, with Kilmarnock's Jim Jefferies also in the frame.