Chief executive Gordon Smith and president George Peat rebuffed criticism of their selection methods as a heated debate about the process threatened to overshadow Burley's passionate acceptance speech.

The governing body had earlier completed contract talks a day after agreeing an undisclosed compensation deal with Southampton.

Burley's status as the preferred candidate of a four-man shortlist had leaked earlier in the week.

Smith denied the SFA had "dragged their feet" over an appointment after Alex McLeish quit for Birmingham in late November.

And Peat opened proceedings by saying: "The board has been criticised in some quarters over the method of recruitment but the same process was used in the appointment of Walter Smith and Alex McLeish and I don't think anyone would deny that these were successful.

"Some reporters said that, of our preferred candidates, several had withdrawn.

"Nobody withdrew and I would also emphasise that the decision of the selection committee was unanimous."

Smith later interrupted questions to Burley to defend the SFA's decision to interview him, Mark McGhee, Graeme Souness and Tommy Burns.

He said: "It's interesting that there's so many questions here, because it has been astonishing the people saying, 'What is the point of interviewing people for a manager's job?'.

"You are all asking questions, don't you think it was appropriate that we asked questions in terms of what George was going to do?"

Smith claimed interviewing four candidates was a better method than the Republic of Ireland's bid to find a manager.

"Every time they identify somebody privately, it comes out and then the next person becomes second choice," he said.

"I did say right at the very start that we would have someone in place by the end of January."

McGhee downplayed an incident on Tuesday when he thought he was being told in a live television interview that Burley had been chosen, but admitted he would have preferred to have received a call from the SFA.

However, Smith said: "He didn't find out that George got the job from Sky Sports because George didn't get the job until today.

"There were still negotiations to go on with a football club, negotiations with a contract.

"The bookies had closed bets on three other candidates at different times. Did that mean to say that came from us, where did that come from?

"I was reading things in the paper that I was astounded by - that so and so was getting the job, this person had refused an interview. Where did that come from?"

The controversy overshadowed Smith's explanation of why Burley won the race.

The former Rangers player said: "Man-management is a strength, I think it's not so much a coaching job for a national team, more of a strategist, someone who is a man-manager, someone who is enthusiastic.

"He has a fantastic record with not a lot of money to spend - to take a team like Ipswich into Europe."

McGhee felt he had been "very, very close" to the job and Smith admitted it was a tough call.

"It was a difficult decision and George is aware of that," he said.

"The standard of candidates we felt was very high. I think they were all capable of being really good Scotland managers."

And Smith admits only time will tell whether a process that sparked such debate produced the right outcome.

"The judgement comes from results," he said. "It only becomes the right appointment when George takes the team in the World Cup."