Scotland was the only job for me

side. Smith has not been in the dugout since he left Rangers seven years ago and has no regrets over his decision to remain in retirement.

He said: “First and foremost I would like to clarify that I really wasn’t asked to take the job. I was asked if I would come out of retirement and in the end I decided not to bother.

“That meant Alex got the job and he maybe should have had the job in the first place anyway because he has the credentials from his run in charge last time.

“Yes [I am comfortable with the decision]. I was not looking for a job. I was asked if it was a job I would consider doing.

“But I never got to the stage where I sat down and talked to them any further on that. After two or three days of media coverage, to be quite honest, I was ticked off.”

Smith spent three years in charge of Scotland and almost led the nation to the World Cup in 2006 before he returned to Ibrox for a successful second spell at the helm.

He will be back on familiar territory this weekend as he oversees a team of former Light Blues heroes in a charity match.

But there will be no return to full-time management for the Gers legend after a glory-laden career that ensured his place in Scottish football folklore.

Smith said: “The hassle would never bother me. Or I don’t think it would bother me these days, but I don’t know because it’s been a long time since I’ve had a great deal of hassle, except from the missus.

“But it was something where somebody asks you and if you’ve done the job before there are bits of it you miss. Some of it you don’t miss, but there are bits of it you miss.

“So when somebody asks you if you would consider coming out of retirement you think about it.

“You toss it over. I did that for a couple of days and decided not to bother.”