The Scotland ace feels that Scottish football should not become a pre-retirement plan and should benefit promising youngsters more.

Roy Keane and Thomas Gravesen became Hoops towards the end of their careers, with limited success, and 'Mick' doesn't want a repeat.

He told the Daily Record: "One thing is for sure: players who are maybe coming to the end of their career and who think this will be a nice wee place to play your football should know that it's not like that.

"Unless you have come from Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool or Arsenal, players won't understand the pressures of what it is like to play here in front of 60,000 fans who are demanding success constantly.

"A lot of the players found that out this year. It was our punters who were getting on the team's back and on the case of the manager.

"Scottish football is not a backwater. It is probably the opposite, it is a good place for hungry young players who want to be successful."