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There was already scrutiny over Steve Clarke’s decision to omit Oli McBurnie from Scotland’s World Cup squad.<\/b><\/p>\n
After Saturday at Wembley, there might be much, much more.<\/p>\n
McBurnie was Hull City’s match-winning, promotion-winning hero – their new Dean Windass,<\/a> in less spectacular but arguably far more dramatic fashion.<\/p>\n The 29-year-old Scot pounced on a mistake by Middlesbrough goalkeeper Sol Brynn in the fifth minute of stoppage time to score the only goal of the Championship play-off final.<\/a><\/p>\n It sent the Tigers back to English football’s top flight after a 10-year absence.<\/p>\n His Wembley winner came just four days after the 19-goal forward was omitted from Clarke’s squad<\/a> for this summer’s global extravaganza in the USA, Canada and Mexico.<\/p>\n So while he may not be going to the World Cup with Scotland, McBurnie is<\/i> going to the Premier League with Hull.<\/p>\n “I am quite pleased he is not going to the World Cup because now he can rest,” Tigers boss Sergej Jakirovic told BBC Sport.<\/p>\n “He had a conversation with the head coach [Clarke] and it was explained to him what the situation was.<\/p>\n “He scores goals – but this [selection] is the job of an international coach and I respect that.”<\/p>\n After naming his squad, Clarke intimated the player maybe did not fit into the type of character he wanted in his squad.<\/p>\n “You got the sense McBurnie could have scored a hat-trick in every game in the last two months of the season and Clarke would have been unmoved,” wrote BBC Scotland chief sports reporter Tom English.<\/a><\/p>\n “Maybe he doesn’t fancy him as a footballer, maybe he doesn’t fancy him as a human being. Whatever.”<\/p>\n Jakirovic, however, believes McBurnie is a positive influence in the Hull dressing room.<\/p>\n “He is a leader – he is different and has so much experience in the Championship and creates fear in opponents,” the Croatian said of his former Swansea and Sheffield United forward.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n