ALEX McLeish admitted he has been impressed by how Ryan Jack has performed in central midfielder for Rangers this season - and stressed he won't play him at right back for Scotland.

Jack made his debut for the national team in defence against the Netherlands at Pittodrie back in November and acquitted himself well in a game the home side were unlucky to lose 1-0.

McLeish is unlikely to play Kieran Tierney at right back in future even though the Celtic left back did well there when Gordon Strachan was in charge.

However, the former Rangers manager, whose team will take on Belgium and Albania at Hampden next month, feels Jack's future lies in the middle of the park.

“Stevie G was waxing lyrical about Ryan Jack recently," he said. "I saw him at Aberdeen last week and he played well. There are lots of players on the radar. But it’s about how we find the goalscorer.

"Big O’Donnell (Kilmarnock player Stephen) did no bad in South America, surprised me. Ryan’s best position is central midfield. We want to keep players in the positions where they’ll be most comfortable."

Meanwhile, McLeish has backed Scotland midfielder John McGinn to prosper in England with his former club Aston Villa after his widely-anticipated switch from Hibernian to Celtic failed to materialise.

McGinn has long been heralded as the potential successor to Scott Brown at both Celtic and Scotland and was expected to join him at Parkhead during the summer.

However, the Glasgow club had three bids turned down by their Edinburgh rivals during the close season and the player moved down south to Birmingham in a £2.8 million deal last Wednesday.

The transfer surprised many in Scottish football, but McLeish, who spent the 2011/12 campaign in charge at Villa Park, can understand why it appealed to the nine-times capped 23-year-old and is confident he will do well down south.

“I can see the attraction of playing in England,” he said. “John’s style of play is likely to be suited to the Championship. Villa is a big club with great facilities and it’s a division where his swashbuckling approach can flourish.

“Maybe he’s been guaranteed a start at Villa, I don’t know. With the start he’s made there, the likelihood is that he will be playing for them most weeks and that’s important.

“Going to Villa will empower him and increase his confidence. Of course, that would also have happened if he’d signed for Celtic because he’s a boy who believes in himself.”