Ally McCoist last night ruled himself out of the running for the manager’s position at St Mirren, who sacked the previous incumbent, Alan Stubbs, on Monday.

Stubbs had filled the post for only 11 weeks and that kind of knee-jerk reaction from directors is one of the reasons he is not hankering for a return to management.

Mostly, though, it is the still vivid memory of his three-and-a-half seasons in charge of Rangers and the toll that took on his health which acts as a deterrent.

“I remember my missus saying to me: ‘Come and have a look at yourself in that mirror,’” he said. “Normally, I’m quite good at doing that and she’ll tell me I’ve been standing there half an hour.

“Seriously, though, I looked at myself and thought: ‘Jesus, that’s not right!’ That’s what happens in the management game. That happened just before I left Rangers. It was definitely taking its toll on me.

“I wasn’t feeling great, I wasn’t sleeping at all. But that goes with the territory of being a football manager these days – particularly at the Old Firm, I would’ve thought.

“Back then there was a combination of things. I was unlucky with the timing of the management job at the club. That had a big bearing on the way things were going.

“However, I look at guys in the dugout now and think: ‘I can see the pressure they are under.’ Pressure does strange things to people.

“Don’t get me wrong – I wouldn’t have swapped anything. In many ways, when the club was going through that period, I was probably quite happy it was me because I knew Rangers as well as anybody could have at that particular time.

“But I certainly don’t miss that feeling of not feeling well and not looking too clever.”

Even so, he accepts that there will be no shortage of applicants for the vacancy in Paisley and any others which may arise.

“I get that some guys are absolutely desperate to get back in, I understand that totally,” he said. “They either need the drug or the finances and so they have to get back in. I get that.

“But looking at it in the cold light of day, if you’re not going to a football club where your board will 100 per cent support you and help you then you have no chance.

“The directors’ ambitions have to be realistic. I’m not closing the door but I would be doubtful now: I’d be surprised if I accepted anything because I really enjoy what I’m doing.

“I enjoy my weekends watching football; I watch my kids play football and, the Saturday before last, I was at four games.

“Then I ended up watching La Liga on telly. On the Sunday I’m the same and I really enjoy my BT Sport stuff, going to Fir Park or Kilmarnock and watching Rangers, Celtic, Aberdeen or whoever.”

*Ally McCoist was speaking at a William Hill media event. William Hill is a proud sponsor of the Scotland National Team.