Qualification for the 2010 World Cup will be Burley’s target and Scottish Football Association chief executive Gordon Smith believes the 51-year-old can deliver.

“George ticked all the boxes,” Smith said.

Former Hearts boss Burley was surprisingly chosen above fellow shortlisted candidates Tommy Burns, Mark McGhee and Graeme Souness.

It is understood he gave an outstanding interview, nudging him ahead of Motherwell boss McGhee, former Rangers manager Souness and Burns, the Celtic first-team coach who served as an assistant boss with Scotland to former managers Vogts and Smith.

Smith added: “Personally, I would have been comfortable with all four of the candidates.

“They all had the assets we were looking for and that was a big factor.

“George came out on top because of certain aspects. I’m sure that the Tartan Army will be behind him and see that we get off to a good start and continue the success we have had.”

Southampton agreed to release Burley from his contract after negotiating compensation with the SFA.

Their chairman, Leon Crouch, stressed Saints had not wanted to lose Burley.

“We would not have allowed him to talk to anyone other than Scotland and I don’t think he would have left us for anyone else,” said Crouch.

“It is a huge honour for anyone to take charge of their national side and we could not stand in his way.”

However, the majority of Saints fans appeared to welcome the news of a change in management, with the team Burley leaves behind currently 13th in the Coca-Cola Championship.

Burley is not the A-list manager some members of the Tartan Army would want to see in charge of the national team, but there are few Scots with his level of experience.

He steered Ipswich into the UEFA Cup in 2001, the highlight of almost eight years in charge at Portman Road, and almost took Southampton back into the English top flight last season before defeat on penalties to Derby in the Championship play-off semi-finals. He has also managed Ayr, Colchester and Derby.

Brown was the manager when Scotland last featured on the big stage, at the 1998 World Cup.

He said: “I do think he is an excellent man-manager, a first-class coach. He gets the best out of ordinary players.”

After Brown failed to lead the national team to Euro 2000 and the 2002 World Cup, Vogts’ team were unable to reach Euro 2004 and Smith, having inherited a side with one point from two qualifiers, could not guide the Scots to the last World Cup.

McLeish, who took charge when Smith quit after four Euro 2008 qualifiers, came close to taking Scotland to Switzerland and Austria next summer.

Scotland’s Group Nine rivals in World Cup qualifying will be Holland, Norway, FYR Macedonia and Iceland. Winning the group would guarantee qualification; a second-place finish could secure a play-off place.