Walter Smith will ask George Burley to use his Rangers players sparingly in the new Scotland manager’s first game in charge against Croatia next month, to keep them fresh for the Ibrox club’s crucial title encounter with Celtic just three days later.

The Rangers manager is likely to want Burley to limit his contingent — probably Barry Ferguson, Lee McCulloch, David Weir and Kris Boyd — to just 45 minutes if they are called up for the friendly match with the Euro 2008 finalists at Hampden Park on March 26.

Smith was never an enthusiast of friendlies when he was Scotland manager and frequently allowed international dates to pass by without fixing up a game. He understands the position of Burley, who has just taken over as Alex McLeish’s successor in the national post, but with the Clydesdale Bank Premier League meeting with his Old Firm rivals at Ibrox just 65 hours later, Smith is reluctant to risk his players.

Gordon Strachan, the Celtic manager, is likely to have five players called up into the Scotland squad if Stephen McManus, Gary Caldwell, Scott Brown, Paul Hartley and Barry Robson keep their places.

“It is an awkward situation having an Old Firm game so close to an international, plus a number of games, domestic and European, before and after that period,” Smith said.

“It is George Burley’s first game and I know he wants to do well. I will have to talk to him and see what his plans are. There will be a lot of players from both sides in that situation. The awkward thing about the timing of the international is the Premier League championship the way it is just now. I can appreciate the situation [for Scotland] but it’s awkward.”

Burley has promised to consult Smith and Strachan before naming his first squad, which will probably be six days before the game with Croatia. The Old Firm have been hit hard by a fixture backlog and Burley will hold talks over the fitness of players. “I will speak to the Old Firm managers before we play Croatia,” he said. “Communication is very important and I appreciate it’s a hectic schedule — it’s been especially hard for the Old Firm. I want a strong squad and the right result against Croatia. It’s important as it’s my first match.”

Burley is set to have two more Hampden friendlies before his first competitive match, a World Cup qualifier in Macedonia in September.