JOHNNY RUSSELL insists the MLS is no longer a retirement home for ageing stars dreaming of one last pay day.

Instead, it’s a springboard for those with genuine international ambitions.

3 Russell left Derby to pursue a career in America Credit: Kenny Ramsay - The Sun Glasgow

Scotland and Russell’s club side Sporting Kansas cut a deal which will allow the former Dundee United star to line-up against Mexico in the Azteca Stadium in the early hours of Sunday morning.

It will be a first cap in three years for the 28-year-old striker.

And last night Russell told how his form in America is probably the best of his career.

He said: “A lot of players in the MLS are going to the World Cup. The league is littered with big talent.

“There has been a perception in the past that somehow it’s a retirement league. But they are completely changing that by attracting younger guys and real quality players as well.

“It has been a brilliant move for me, a good change.

“We’ve started well and so have I, personally.

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“It was difficult to leave Derby County as I had been there for so long, but I felt for the sake of my game I needed a change and I’m grateful I made the change now.

“At the moment we have the likes of Ibrahimovic. That was brilliant, a great experience to face a player of his stature, and also to play against Ashley Cole in that game too.

“There are so many players from throughout the world in the MLS.

“We played New York in our first game and I came up against David Villa, a player I’ve loved for years.

“Getting to play against people like that is a great experience.”

While the lifestyle in America’s Midwest appealed to Russell and his young family, he insisted it was the standard of football that really sold him on the move.

Russell believes he’s a better player compared to the one that left the UK — better equipped to deal with the challenges of starring for Scotland.

3 Russell in action for Kansas City Credit: AP:Associated Press

He said: “Everyone thinks it’s about the lifestyle too, but I had a few options and I felt Kansas was the best for me.

“I always wanted to go and play outside of the UK. Even when I was still at Dundee United it was something I wanted to do.

“I was given the opportunity to play in a league I’ve watched for a while now and it is constantly improving, so I felt now was the right time, especially as they don’t want the old guys any more.

“If I’d left it any longer I don’t know if I would ever have been offered the chance again.

“It all came about thanks to Mo Johnston. He asked the question if it was something I’d be interested in.

"He took it from there and him and my agent worked together on it.

"It helped that he had been at Kansas for a while so he had nothing but positive things to say about the coach, the city and the team.

“It was tough to leave Derby, but it was an easy decision to join Sporting.”

Russell won the first of his four Scotland caps in November 2014, while his last game was a year later away to Gibraltar.

Yet he refused to let his international dream die, pushing himself every day in training in a bid to better himself.

He confessed: “I always wanted Scotland to be a goal, although you never know what is going to happen.

"Of course it’s a lot more difficult for people to see me play out here, but I still feel I have something to give.

“I’ve been away on a lot of trips and didn’t play a lot of those times when I was away, so I always felt I had something to prove. I still do.

“I’ve been given a second chance to get back in there and it’s up to me to take it.

“I’m playing against top players. A lot of people don’t think there’s a lot of quality in the league, but you only have to look at the squad lists of every team.

"The league has loads of talent.

3 Russell with Scotland boss Alex McLeish Credit: Kenny Ramsay - The Sun Glasgow

“By no means have I moved to the MLS to relax. I’ve moved there to push myself, to try something different to further my game.

“The two managers were trying to sort it out because I’m going to miss a game now I’m here.

“But I spoke to the manager at Kansas and said ‘Look, this is an opportunity I’ve not had in so long and I really don’t want to pull out of the squad’.

“He was brilliant with me. He asked me to stay there for the Columbus game and then he would let me go to play against Mexico. I’m happy he let me go.

“My last cap would have been the Gibraltar game over there, a good few years back now.”

A heavily-depleted Scotland will have to overcome the heat and stifling humidity before facing Mexico in the Azteca.

Over 75,000 tickets have been sold in what will be Mexico’s send-off before they head for the World Cup.

And Russell admitted: “It will be difficult with the altitude and the heat, something we’re not used to.

“But the chance to play in a stadium like that, with such history? It’s going to be amazing.

“That’s why you play football, to perform in games like this, especially for your country. You can’t ask for any more. You grow up looking at places like that.

“I grew up wanting to play for Scotland and hard work took me there.”

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