THE revolution might not be televised but every other aspect of life is videoed and then sent around the world before the truth can even find its shoes.

Oli McBurnie knows this only too well. A recent daft comment amidst dressing room banter, which should never be seen by anyone outside those four walls, was caught by the media team of his club, Sheffield United, who then decided to put it online without any context or his consent. Smashing.

The footage showed the Scotland striker describing the international set-up in less than flattering terms. Let’s be honest, the fact he said so in an English accent didn’t help the look.

The truth is that McBurnie was having a laugh, which is not to say he is entirely innocent. However, he deserves credit for immediately phoning Steve Clarke to explain the situation, and then when he joined up with the Scotland squad, stood in front of his team-mate to set things right.

The 23-year-old had a decent game in the defeat to Russia on Friday night. Nothing too special but nobody could fault the commitment of the ginger, bearded big man who speaks fluent Yorkshire but is 100 per cent a Scot.

Which does explain why he did something so daft. That’s so Scottish.

McBurnie admitted: “It's been a tough couple of weeks for me. Things like that only happen to me! It was stupid to put myself in that position. It was a private conversation in the dressing-room and five seconds was taken out of context.

“No-one heard the rest of the conversation. But nonetheless it looked terrible and it was stupid from me. My old man was raging at me.

“As soon as it came out, I rang the gaffer and gave him my point of view. We had one conversation and that was it cleared. Everyone who knows me knows how much I love playing for Scotland. I have done since I was a kid. My stupid mouth ran away from me.

“I got down about it because of the backlash. I could see how bad it looks. When I put myself out there like I do, it's easy for people to use it as a stick to beat me with. But it's my own fault, I have to realise where I am, what I can and can't say.

“The family were angry with me, asking why I was saying that. But they know I love being up here and so do the boys in the squad. It was tougher to explain to the gaffer because he doesn't know me.

“But he'll have seen that I was trying to prove a point last week in training, to show how much I want to be here. I ran myself into the ground for the team on Friday.”

So, how the hell did this happen?

McBurnie was not in a public place per se. The ‘dressing room’ japes actually took place in the tunnel of Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane. But these days it’s not Big Brother watching you. It’s everyone and their aunty.

McBurnie revealed: “It was a video that Sheffield United's media team put out. They've clipped a five second bit – who needs enemies, eh? They apologised but the damage was already done.

“I shouldn't have said it, even it was banter and having a joke. I've had to suffer the repercussions. I just wanted to clear it up with the manager quickly. I didn't want that to be the first impression he had of me. We got it dealt with and we'll put it behind us.

“I wanted to make that gesture. I don't want people thinking that coming up here for Scotland is a chore or I don't want to do it. If it was, I wouldn't come. I love playing for Scotland, it was just a stupid thing said in a dressing-room.

“I played 19 times for Scotland U21's and also for the U17's. My old man came to every game home and away. So, he gave me a clip round the ear. I wouldn't have done all that if I didn't consider myself a proud Scotsman.”

Most supporters will have seen it for what it was. A daft comment taken way out of context. Still, the guilty man, so to speak, did wonder what the reaction would be when his name was read out over the Hampden sound system on Friday evening.

McBurnie, a £20m signing for Sheffield United, admitted: “It was a relief not to get a negative reaction from the crowd on Friday. The fans were great with me. I put myself out there to be shot at but I understand the territory that comes with it. The fans gave me a great reception and I was thankful for that.

“I want to make an impression now to show what I can do for the country. I won't try harder just because of this. Every time I go on the pitch for Scotland I want to give everything and score goals.

“If I keep working hard they will come. The whole episode was a shock to me. I'd played a game, I came off and people were sending me the video. That's not what I wanted to see or the impression I want people to have of myself.

“I was relieved to meet up with the boys. I spoke to them about it right away, I put across my side of the story and it was a big relief the way they accepted it.”

McBurnie had a hand in John McGinn’s goal against the Russians on a night when he worked his socks down to his ankles. To no great effect although this was hardly his fault.

He will be asked to fulfil the same role against Belgium tomorrow in a match which if anything will be more difficult than Friday – and that’s saying something.

McBurnie said: “It was a tough shift personally. It was frustrating but it's hard playing against three big centre-halves. I was feeding off scraps and it's the graveyard shift. But I tried to get my body in, hold the ball up and bring the boys into play.

“I'm a striker, I want to get chances and score goals. That didn't happen but I'll keep going. All we can do is go again. Monday is now even more important than it was before.”