Burley asked his former Ipswich team-mate Butcher and Celtic defender Steven Pressley to assist him after he was appointed last week.

An SFA spokesman told PA Sport: "Terry has agreed in principle to start working with George."

The SFA now hope to iron out a deal for Butcher to become a part-time assistant to Burley before the squad gathers for a training camp on Sunday.

Pressley has yet to agree a deal to join the backroom team of Burley, his former Hearts manager, but the Scotland defender is expected to follow suit.

Pressley was omitted from a 27-man squad that Burley named earlier for a three-day gathering at Loch Lomond.

There were no new caps in the party and Burley signalled his intention to stick with the players that served Walter Smith and Alex McLeish so well by including 37-year-old Rangers defender David Weir.

Burnley full-back Graham Alexander also retains his place while fringe players such as Dundee United skipper Barry Robson and Derby pair Stephen Pearson and Gary Teale are included.

Ipswich goalkeeper Neil Alexander and Norwich's David Marshall join Craig Gordon and Allan McGregor.

Burley revealed at the weekend that he had approached Butcher - and was unconcerned about his nationality.

Butcher, 49, won 77 caps for England and captained them to the 1990 World Cup semi-finals.

But he has spent much of his life in Scotland after joining Rangers in 1986 and had a successful stint as Motherwell manager until leaving for shorter spells at Sydney and Brentford in 2006.

Burley said: "For me, the criteria was someone I knew really well who had played international football, who was a good coach, an excellent motivator, somebody I could trust.

"Terry certainly comes into that category and he's spent most of his football time in Scotland. That was important as well.

"For me he's a winner. He's got the character where he doesn't stand for fools."

Butcher said yesterday: "All the people I've talked to have told me that George has gone for the football person in me - not the nationality."