Vogts blames defence

Dailly (left) is an experienced member of the squad

Scotland coach Berti Vogts has blamed his experienced central defensive pairing of Christian Dailly and Davie Weir for the embarrassing 2-2 draw with the Faroe Islands last Saturday.

Both Vogts and his players have come in for tremendous criticism in the wake of that result.

The German has admitted he could not fathom why the performance was so poor, but now he has laid the blame at the feet of his two centre-halves.

"It was the older players like Dailly and Weir, who both play in England, who disappointed me," Vogts told German news agency SID.

I just cannot understand the hatred against me

Berti Vogts

"They were at fault for the two goals against us. It was not the young players."

West Ham defender Dailly has been the subject of transfer fees totalling £7.5m, while Weir, currently with Everton, was being touted for a move to Manchester United in the summer.

Both are respected defenders in the English Premiership, but failed to handle the part-timers of the Faroes.

Vogts again insisted there was no question of him walking away from the challenge of lifting Scotland's fortunes.

And he stressed that he would stick with his plan of using young players in the national team.

"It has not been and it is absolutely not a subject for me," he told SID.

"There is no alternative and I will not recall players who are 35 or 36 years old.

"The draw in the Faroe Islands was a disappointment. However, I just cannot understand the hatred against me," he added.