STEPHEN McMANUS today promised he will hold nothing back as he prepares to captain his country against Croatia tonight.

The Celtic skipper knows the biggest game of the season for his club is approaching on Saturday when Gordon Strachan's side travel to take on Rangers at Ibrox.

But McManus is so desperate to help new Scotland manager George Burley get off to a winning start in front of the Tartan Army that he says he has put the weekend Old Firm showdown to the back of his mind.

Despite four out of the five Rangers players originally named in the squad withdrawing from the squad with injuries, Celtic will still be represented by McManus, Gary Caldwell, Scott Brown and Paul Hartley this evening.

And McManus said: "When I come away on international duty then all club matters are put on the back burner until after the game.

"I think it would be disrespectful to come away with Scotland and be talking about playing for Celtic or thinking about club matches when you have an international game to take care of, so it's business as usual for me this week.

"I'll go out there and give it everything I've got and try to play the way I have to get into the squad in the first place.

"All I'm focusing on is going out there and playing as well as I can this evening and hopefully helping the team to a good result. It's also George Burley's first game in charge and it would be fantastic to get him off to a winning start."

For McManus, wearing the captain's armband in the absence of Barry Ferguson will be an honour that ranks right up there with being handed the role of skippering Celtic on a full-time basis by Strachan at the beginning of the season.

While he is never one to rant and rave at team-mates, he isn't afraid to voice his opinion or demand more. But he doesn't try to model himself on past captains of both Celtic and Scotland.

He said: "I've not changed as a person since I broke into the first team at Celtic and since I've been made captain of the club. And I'm not going to change either. I'm still the same guy and it's important to stay like that.

"There are certain responsibilities that come with the role, such as increased media work as times, but for me you still go out and play in the same manner and try to be someone the other players can look up to.

"I've now played a lot of football in the last three years but I'm not one for talking things up, I'd never do that.

"Let's just say I've worked hard and it has gone all right so far. I've been fortunate that my career has gone in the right direction, but you can never get too ahead of yourself.

"I still look at myself as being the same guy I was five years ago when I wasn't getting a game.

"The reason you get something like the captaincy is because people think you have something inside you. George Burley pulled me aside after our first training session and told me I was going to be captain and it's going to be a huge honour for me.

"The first time I led out Celtic was a huge honour and I think that goes hand-in-hand with captaining your country. Whether it happens once, twice or not for another 10 years, the most important thing is that no-one can take it away from you."

McManus added: "It has been great so far with George.

"He is very hands-on, doing a lot of the coaching.

"We've only had a few days, so it is hard to get a real feel, but first impressions tend to stick and the guys have been really impressed."