Scotland striker Kenny Miller will not quit international football

 

Scotland striker Kenny Miller has had no thoughts about quitting international football despite recent disappointments.

Miller's chances of playing at a major finals appear to be over after Scotland's poor start to the World Cup qualifying campaign, which cost Craig Levein his job as manager.

Miller, who will be 33 next month, was dropped for the away defeats by Wales and Belgium last month following the end of Steven Fletcher's self-imposed exile.

But he is one of the few experienced players in the squad to face Luxembourg tomorrow after nine of his team-mates withdrew.

And the Vancouver Whitecaps striker, whose domestic season is finished, is not about to pull out for good either despite admitting he may have had his last chance to play on the biggest stage.

"I'll be 34 towards the end of this campaign," he said.

"It probably will be, I imagine even from a manager's point of view.

"But if they still want to select me and I still feel I'm able to offer something, I won't retire.

"When there comes a time a manager thinks it's time to move on, then that's fine. But I want to play as long as I can."

Miller was disappointed to miss out on starts in Cardiff and Brussels, although he came on in both matches.

"I love playing for my country, it means a lot to me," he said.

"I will always come as long as I'm selected.

"I was disappointed, of course I was, I was disappointed with the other 10 lads who weren't playing.

"I was really disappointed after scoring in the previous game and I always want to play. Craig wanted to go down a different road and we had a chat about it, and I just had to accept it.

"Fletch has come in and he was on fire at the time, playing in the Premiership and scoring goals.

"It was still hard to take, I still felt I should have played. But the manager felt Fletch was the right man for the job and you just have to accept that and be ready to play a part if called upon."

Miller has struggled to make an impact in Major League Soccer but he feels he can atone when the new season starts in early March.

"It's tough going to a league that is right in the middle of their season," he said.

"I went there off the back of two months off and it was hard to get up to speed straight away. I'm looking forward to getting a full season under my belt."

And Miller is unconcerned that he might be forgotten about while playing in Canada.

"There is nobody's mind I really want to be in," the former Rangers and Celtic striker said.

"When I moved out there I spoke to Craig regarding the national team and whoever else comes in I will speak to them about it as well.

"As long as it's not going to cause a problem for selection for here, then that's all I'm bothered about."

PA

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