PAUL Hartley knows the social media snipers will have their sights trained on Alex McLeish if Scotland fail to clinch a Euro 2020 play-off spot in their final Nations League games.

And the former Alloa, Dundee and Falkirk manager has revealed he may not return to the dugout in future due to the unbearable pressure that online critics are now putting on managers.

Hartley is hoping that McLeish, who he played under at both Hibs and Scotland, can lead the national team to wins in their final Group C1 matches against Albania away on Saturday evening and Israel at home a week today.

He fears that the knives will be out for the 59-year-old, who only took charge of his country for a second time back in February, if they come up short despite the injuries, call-offs and withdrawals he has had to contend with.

“I looked at the Albania game and people were saying ‘this is a must-win game for Alex McLeish’,” he said. “It was his first competitive game and the manager was under pressure. I thought that was harsh.

“When you are the manager of Scotland there is some amount of pressure on you, but you’ve got to give him a chance. I think he knows the pressure on him, he’ll have known that when he took the job on again.

“I enjoyed working under Alex with Scotland. I worked under him at Hibs too. He bought me and sold me so he knows his stuff! Seriously, though, I always liked him and got on well with him. He was good and he was fair. It’s a tough job he has, but the next two games can change that.

"Both Albania and Israel are must-win games. I didn’t think Albania were any great shakes, but it’s away from home and that’s always difficult in international football. If we lose then the amount of pressure that will be on Alex will be great. But he will have known that when he took the job.”

Hartley, who was sacked as Falkirk manager after a disappointing run of results in August, confessed he is uncertain if he will return to management in future due to the increased pressures of the job.

“I would like to get back into the coaching side,” he said. “I don’t know about the management side yet. I am taking a wee bit of time out. But I don’t miss all the stressful stuff. I am happy just to get away from it for a while.

“The game has definitely changed with the stress and pressure a manager is under. If they lose three games people are calling for their heads, wanting them to go. Things have definitely changed over the last few years. And social media has a part to play in that.

“Owners, whatever you want to call them, people on the board, it’s definitely changed. You don’t get a lot of time there. It is results-based. You have to go in there and win games of football straight away. If you don’t then you know the consequences. You might lose your job, depending on who you work for.

“There was one weekend in October when four managers went. It has definitely changed. I think it will get worse and worse. Boards have no patience now. They don’t give managers time. When you go into a club now you have to expect that to happen. If you don’t win games there’s a good chance you might lose your job.

“It’s worse in Scotland. I always thought in Scotland you got a bit more time. I don’t miss that stress on a Saturday, knowing that you have to get a result and knowing what will happen if you don’t . . . It is just about results on a Saturday now.

“I know for a fact boards, owners, directors, read social media. They look at it and say ‘what are they saying about the manager?’ Then they get it if results don’t go well and that is how they make changes. They sit at a game and they are getting a lot of stick.

“I don’t go on social media, Twitter or Facebook. But people would always tell me what they’re saying. I would reply ‘I don’t really care what they’re saying about me’. But a lot of people are reading it.”

Meanwhile, Hartley, who won 25 caps for Scotland during his time with Hearts and Celtic, has urged McLeish to forget about the Premier League stars who have asked not to be considered for selection and put his faith in up-and-coming players.

“You have to forget about the guys who do not want to play,” he said. “I would put the young guys in the team. I am talking about the four lads at Celtic, I’m talking about Andy Robertson, Ryan Fraser, Scott McKenna. They are young, hungry, they want to do well. That’s the makings of a good team.

“That (players turning their back on Scotland) never really happened when I played. We always had a good group. We always enjoyed meeting up. There were no cliques between Celtic and Rangers. Everyone got on well and everyone wanted to play for their country.”

Paul Hartley was speaking at a William Hill media event. William Hill is a proud sponsor of the Scotland national team.