Andy Robertson has unwittingly found himself at the centre of a tense exchange between former Liverpool skipper Jamie Redknapp and ex-Reds assistant manager Steve Clarke.
Redknapp had claimed the lack of quality among Scotland's squad were preventing captain Robertson from replicating his Reds form on the international stage.
The Liverpool left-back was criticised in some quarters after the Tartan Army lost heavily at home to Russia and Belgium last month.
But Scotland boss Clarke, who was assistant to Kenny Dalglish until leaving Anfield in 2012, has issued a stern response to Redknapp.
"If I go down the route of answering one pundit then I have to answer every single pundit who comes out with something that they’re paid to say,” he said.
“He’s a paid pundit, he’s got his opinion and Jamie also has a Liverpool connection so maybe he’s tried to protect Andy a little bit.
“But Andy is a big boy. He doesn’t need protecting.
“Every time I name a squad, Andy is the first to reply, ‘When is it gaffer? I’ll see you there!’
“Like I said, if I go down that route then the next pundit will see that I’ve had a little bite back.
“They’ll want to say something as well to see if they get a bite back because that raises their profile as a pundit.”
