Alex McLeish is proud of his achievements at Ibrox

"It was close," he said when asked whether he had seriously considered leaving before the summer. "There was intense pressure on me and my family.

"But, as long as they were not suffering, I wanted to carry on.

"I could not leave Rangers at the time when we were fifth in the league. I was too embarrassed."

McLeish will stand down after his final match in charge on Sunday, at home to Hearts, the side who eventually edged out Rangers for second spot and a place in the Champions League.

"Congratulations to Hearts," he said. "It is a great achievement for them. Mr Romanov has spent a bob or two and it's worked for them.

Walking up the marble staircase on my introduction as Rangers manager will live with me Alex McLeish

"We're disappointing not to be able to take it to the last game, but we were in an almost impossible position in December/January, when I decided to stay."

McLeish praised his side for bouncing back to finish third and had some words of advice for incoming boss Paul Le Guen.

"Don't get injuries and don't get suspensions," he said.

"We've got some good young kids coming through and some quality players.

"We need to strengthen in a few positions as I still feel we are in a transitional period.

"We've had a very difficult season because of injuries.

"But we qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League, which was a good achievement."

McLeish insisted that he had no regrets about his tenure at Ibrox.

"If you had said when I took over that I would still be here in four and a half years time, I would not have believed you," he said.

"To last that long at a club like this is remarkable and shows I must have been doing something right."

Despite winning seven trophies, including a Treble in 2003, McLeish has still had his critics.

"In terms of Rangers at this time, when the club has been downsizing, I've still brought success and I'm proud of that," he said.

"We won two championships, but if you are not runaway winners then you perhaps don't get the appreciation.

"However, in time, people will recognise that, through difficult circumstances, the success rate has been quite good."

McLeish intends taking a sabbatical from the game.

"I've been at the cutting edge of football for 30 years and need to freshen up," he said.

"Somebody told me that I wanted the Charlton job and that I had applied, but that's nonsense,

"It's not in my gameplan, although I might be the kind of thing I would consider in the future."

McLeish would not rule out one day returning to Scottish football - or Rangers.

"It's a privilege to have managed Rangers," he said.

"It's a fantastic club and I know there are people who have left here and never found a better place.

"Walking up the marble staircase on my introduction as Rangers manager will live with me as I was living the dream."