CITY goalkeeper David Marshall has backed new Scotland boss George Burley to fire the Tartan Army all the way to the 2010 World Cup.

And the Norwich stopper hopes his appointment will lead to more chances for him to add to his two full international caps.

Former Ipswich boss Burley was unveiled by the Scottish FA as Alex Mcleish's successor yesterday, leaving Southampton - City's next opponents in the Championship - after three years in charge.

And Marshall, a regular in the Scotland squad last season under Burley's predecessor, believed the SFA had made a good choice.

"I think it's a good appointment," he told CanariesWorld. "The last two managers have done a great job and turned it around, so hopefully George Burley will come in and do the same sort of job the last two have done. And with a bit more luck - we've got a bit of an easier draw this time - we can get to the World Cup."

Scotland narrowly missed out on a place in this summer's European Championships after being drawn in a tough group which contained the likes of France and Italy.

Holland appear to be the only major threat to Scotland's hopes of making the World Cup finals in South Africa, with the Dutch favourites to qualify from group nine, which also contains less illustrious names such as Iceland, Norway and Macedonia.

"It's not as if Scotland are having a bad time at the moment," said Marshall, who hoped Burley could maintain the feel-good factor within the national squad. "So hopefully there wont be too much of a change. The team pretty much picks itself and the squad. The boys are in confidence mood so it's a good time to take charge I think. With a good draw, if we do as well as we did last campaign I'm sure we'll make the World Cup."

Burley has already had a chance to run the rule over Marshall this season, with the Canaries beating his Saints' side 2-1 way back in August, thanks to goals by Jamie Cureton.

And Marshall hoped Burley's experience in the Championship would bode well for his own chances of challenging Sunderland's Craig Gordon and Rangers' Allan McGregor for the number one jersey.

"Yeah, hopefully," said the 22-year-old, twice a City player of the month this season. "We obviously played against them earlier in the season so hopefully he knows a bit about me and that it's all good. It's good meeting up with Scotland, but at the end of the day you want to play games for your country so hopefully I can get more of a chance this time as well."

It's been far from plain sailing for Marshall this season following his summer switch from Celtic. A tough start to the season saw the Canaries rooted to the foot of the table, only for new boss Glenn Roeder to transform their fortunes and move them five points clear of the drop zone.

Marshall has been in imperious form at times, and all against a backdrop of unrest on the training pitches of Colney, with goalkeeping coach Jim Hollman suddenly departing earlier this month.

Roeder's chosen replacement, former MK Dons boss Stuart Murdoch, lasted just four days before deciding the job was not for him, leaving club liaison and former Carrow Road goalkeeping legend Bryan Gunn with the task of training the likes of Marshall, Matthew Gilks and Steven Arnold.

Marshall said Gunn was doing a first rate job under the circumstances, but hoped a permanent appointment would be made soon.

"It's hard," he said. "But I think it would have been even harder if we hadn't had Gunny here.

"He's been taking us when everybody has been here, there and everywhere, so it's been good. Hopefully we can get someone appointed permanently because you need something to build on and work on, but if it's Gunny until the end of the season we'll just get on with it and hopefully not let it affect our game too much."