I had felt the attack building when I was booed playing for Scotland against the Czech Republic in 1999. It was a little bit like when it happened to John Barnes with England. I gave up international football after that night at Celtic Park - a decision that extended my playing career by several years. To play for your country is undoubtedly the pinnacle but you never envisage you will get booed. After all, you have been selected as one of the best 22 players in your country.
I see it quoted quite a lot now, and I think it's quite worrying and sad, when players say that "it is part of being an international footballer that someone is going to get booed". That cannot be right. I didn't watch the England game against Brazil but I read the reports. For Frank Lampard to be getting booed before the game has started must be wrong. England as a whole have not punched their weight for a little while so to single out one guy, who is an outstanding player, is unfair.
With me in 1999 there was a little bit of Euro 96 lingering around, when I had missed a penalty against England, but there was also pressure in Scotland. Craig Burley had been scoring a lot of goals from midfield for Celtic but when he came into the Scotland squad he came in as part of a five-man midfield where he was used as a right wing-back. I was at Coventry at the time so the talk was "Celtic's midfield player is playing at a better level than Gary McAllister is for Coventry".
Obviously Euro 96 was always going to be tough to shake off. As a player you are aware of what is written in the papers and said on phone-ins. You have to be mentally strong and you get used to criticism - you have to take that along with the praise - but the thing that I found really hard was for my family and friends to be in the ground when I was being booed. It was tough for them because they're going along to see their son or their cousin and it should be a proud moment.
With Scotland in 1999 we were playing against a Czech Republic side that featured Pavel Nedved, Patrik Berger and Vladimir Smicer - they were as strong a nation as any in Europe at that time. It seems a long time ago now but I can remember that my dad and my brothers were in the crowd that night and it certainly wasn't nice for them when the fans started booing. It can begin with only a pocket of fans but it is amazing how the noise can grow and get around the stadium.
It is quite something to deal with when the fans are on your back before the game has started. But the way I approached being booed was to go and hunt for the ball. I put myself in positions to receive the ball even more than I would normally. I'd go and get it in tight situations where you might have been better to ask your team-mates to knock it a bit longer. I am sure Frank Lampard will be of a similar mindset to me. I don't see him as a guy who shirks away from responsibility.
If Frank can help a team-mate in a tight situation tonight in Estonia I don't think he'd ever think about not doing so in fear of making a mistake. Over the years in football you play with people who go missing. Hiding on a football pitch is an easy thing to do but Frank is not that type of player. I've watched Chelsea a lot in recent years and Frank likes to get himself on the ball often, as well as break forward to score goals. He is a strong character - there is no doubt about that.
I have been at Upton Park when he has been playing for Chelsea and he takes ruthless stick from the West Ham fans but always rises above it. I don't know him personally but I know people very close to him and they tell me that Frank's a very committed lad with a great attitude. At 28 years old, he's a player in his prime and an outstanding footballer and I'm sure there won't be any negative thoughts in his mind tonight. In fact, he'll probably be even more determined.
