Ferguson and McGregor were handed lifetime bans by the Scottish Football Association after being photographed flicking V-signs at photographers during April's World Cup qualifier against Iceland.

Those suspensions have since been lifted, with new boss Craig Levein having confirmed both players will be considered for selection.

The SFA have consistently said the decision to ban the pair was fully supported by Burley but the 53-year-old, who was sacked in November, today insisted he would have had no problem picking them.

"I think you've got to move on," he told BBC Radio Five Live.

"The players have got to realise that they're playing for their country.

"If they're passionate and realised what's happened before and are going to give their best shot...

"It's the SFA who are the ones that are going to decide. They're the ones who looked at it and came to that conclusion (to ban them).

"I tried to back the players as much as I could but sometimes you've got to take a step back."

Rangers striker Boyd ended his self-imposed exile from international football following Levein's appointment last month.

The Scottish Premier League's record scorer refused to play under Burley after being left on the bench in a World Cup qualifier against Norway in October 2008.

Asked if Boyd, Birmingham midfielder Ferguson and Rangers goalkeeper McGregor would have wanted to play under him again, Burley said: "Kris Boyd, I think he made his mind up.

"The other two players, it was something that happened and the SFA decided to do that (ban them).

"It's up to people to prove that they're worth another chance."

He added: "Everybody makes mistakes and you've got to move on.

"I'm sure that the boys were disappointed with what happened."

Boyd's decision to quit international football caused Burley to question the forward's commitment to his country.

The former Ipswich and Hearts boss said today: "Sometimes you want people to be really hungry, and they do make mistakes and they bounce back.

"And I think Kris Boyd has bounced back since then.

"He's been absolutely tremendous for Rangers and I think he had a point to prove."

He added: "At the time before the Norway game, Kris wasn't playing regularly for Rangers."

Burley refused to criticise the SFA for sacking him two matches after giving them their full backing in the wake of Scotland's failure to qualify for this summer's World Cup.

Of the media scrutiny on him during his 22-month tenure, he added: "In England, there might be five or six pages of football in the national papers.

"In Scotland, it could be 14 or 15 pages of football.

"That's how much intensity there is in Scotland, so that's something you've got to cope with."