GORDON STRACHAN insists Scott Brown should follow the example of Gary McAllister and carry on playing for club and country.
There have been hints the Celtic skipper may quit the international side after the disappointment of Scotland failing to qualify for the European Championships in France next summer.
But Strachan, who has just agreed a new two-year deal with the SFA to remain manager during the World Cup 2018 qualifiers, believes the midfielder still has a lot to prove at the highest level.
He said: “Let’s get this straight. We’re not talking about a man who is 36 or 37.
“Scott’s 30 years old and at that age you should be at the peak of your powers with so much to look forward to.
“Look at Gary McAllister, for instance. At 27, he got himself fitter and at the age of 34 he went to Liverpool.
“A year later, he won three trophies in one season, including a UEFA Cup. That’s what you do if you’re a good player.
“And the reason he got to the top was because he trained harder than most other players.”
McAllister, a former Leeds United team-mate of Strachan, played 57 times for Scotland before retiring in 1999 at the age of 35.
Brown, who was bought by the Scots boss for the Hoops for £4.4million from Hibs in 2007, was introduced to the international team in 2005 and has clocked up 49 appearances for his country.
The captain has promised to give an answer about his future once he has weighed up everything.
