Wales 3-0 Scotland: The Daily Mirror verdict

Scottish football’s mantra is ’Passion, Pride, Spirit’ yet all three were sorely lacking as skipper Darren Fletcher admitted he had NEVER seen the team play so badly.

The SFA’s marketing men dreamed up the slogan of ’Passion, Pride, Spirit’ to promote the national team.

Yet only the magnificent 4,000-strong Tartan Army displayed those attributes at the new Cardiff City Stadium.

And those that were still there at the final whistle, certainly let under-fire manager George Burley know their full anger following his side’s spineless display.

After Burley received the backing of the SFA to remain in charge following their failure to reach the World Cup, Scotland fans were expecting some evidence for optimism ahead of the Euro 2012 qualification campaign.

Yet even Burley, 53, admitted there were no positives to their dire display in Wales as he has now won just three of 14 games since taking charge in January 2008.

Despite a bright start, the visitors were soon exposed as out-of-form Celtic defenders Stephen McManus and Gary Caldwell were ripped to sheds by Wales’ young side.

John Toshack’s Welsh team, who also failed to make South Africa, were even missing their key, experienced performers like Craig Bellamy and James Collins.

But they still should really have won by a greater margin with Arsenal teenager Aaron Ramsey excelling.

The hosts led 3-0 inside 36 minutes to send Scotland fans heading for the bar long before half-time.

And Scotland were simply overun as midfielder Fletcher, 25, failed to repeat his superb club form with Manchester United for his country.

“It was a terrible afternoon,” Fletcher admitted.

“In previous games we have lost but we have never been as bad as that.

“After the first 20 minutes we just capitulated with bad defensive errors.

“We didn’t track runners - there was a catalogue of mistakes by the whole team.

“We let the manager down. You could hear the fans and rightly so they were disappointed - they expect and deserve better.

“It was a poor performance from everyone and we are disappointed all round.

“We didn’t lift ourselves up after conceding goals and we are just very low on confidence.

“The manager was unhappy and disappointed. He was angry and emotional.

“I’ve never seen him as angry or emotional as he was afterwards and he had every right to be.”

Burley is likely to remain in charge for Scotland’s next friendly against the Czech Republic in March 2010.

But his side will have to improve hugely or face another embarrassment.

They were distinctly second best from when Ramsey crossed for David Edwards to volley Wales into a 16th-minute lead after the Scots missed two early openings.

Ramsey,18, then played a major role in Simon Church’s first Wales goal before scoring himself with a superb individual strike.

His substitution soon after the break probably saved the Scots from a hiding as Wales also had a stonewall penalty claim turned down for a foul on Church before keeper David Marshall handled outside his area and was lucky to escape with a yellow card.

Boss Burley said: “The first half was terrible and we can’t afford to let that happen.

“Before the game I felt the squad was getting stronger and we were going in the right direction but we have gone backwards.

“I can’t put my finger on exactly one area that went wrong because all the areas were poor.”

Yet former Ipswich, Derby and Southampton manager Burley remains defiant that he has no plans to quit despite a lot of abuse from fans.

He said: “When the team performs like that you are going to get stick from the crowd because the performance wasn’t good enough.

“I think as a manager you are disappointed by that defeat.

“We have a squad of players out there who didn’t perform.

“We have to be better - we got beat too easily.

“But I can’t go and magic other players into the squad.

“I am picking the best squad of players, working together with them to try and get the best out of them.”

With Fletcher struggling to replicate his Manchester United displays for Scotland, how Burley must wish he had a midfield dynamo like Ramsey.

He was substituted in the 57th minute yet the teenager was still handed the man-of-the-match award despite playing less than two thirds of the game.

The former Cardiff star enjoyed playing in his old club’s new home rather than at the huge Millennium Stadium where Wales struggle to fill a fraction of the 75,000 capacity.

Ramsey said: “Moving here has brought a better atmosphere and that factor has helped us and hopefully we can continue and build on this and this can put us in good shape for the next qualification campaign.

“It was a lot better atmosphere and hopefully the next home game will be here.”

And Wales presumably must wish they could play Scotland every game too.

Wales: Hennessey 8, Ricketts 7, Nyatanga 6 (Gabbidon 60, 6), Williams 7, Morgan 7, Bale 7, Ledley 7 (King 80, 6), Ramsey 9 (Allen 57, 6), Edwards 7 (Cotterill 88, 6), Evans 6 (Vokes 45, 6), Church 6 (Earnshaw 45, 6).

Scotland: Marshall 6, Hutton 6, McManus 5, Gary Caldwell 5, Fox 6 (Steven Fletcher 55, 6), Dorrans 6 (Robson 71, 6), Darren Fletcher 6, Cowie 5 (Riordan 78, 6), Miller 6 (Wallace 55, 6), Naismith 6 (McCormack 62, 6), McFadden 6 (Kyle 62, 6).

Anorak Stat: Scotland have not beaten Wales since 1984

Man of the match: Aaron Ramsey. The Welsh teenager was outstanding.

Villain of the match: Gary Caldwell. The Celtic stopper was clumsy in defence.

Attendance: 13,844

10@10: Rab C Nesbitt, Jimmy Krankie and the 10 Scots who would do a better job than George Burley