Kenny Miller has not ruled out a return to Rangers but he fully expects to play for Vancouver Whitecaps next season.

Rangers boss Ally McCoist has consistently expressed his desire to re-sign Miller, who is working on his rehabilitation from knee surgery at their Murray Park training ground.

But the 33-year-old, who is contracted to the Major League Soccer side for next season, said: "There is no other agenda other than getting back fit.

"I'm thankful they are letting me use the facilities and take up some of the physio's time."

When asked whether he might return to Rangers for a third spell, Miller said: "Who knows? It's one where there is an opportunity to do something, you then think about that opportunity.

"At the moment my main is to get this knee back fixed and get back training and then who knows what happens after that.

"But as it stands I don't think there will be anything I will be doing other than going back to Vancouver in January."

Miller hopes the surgery to repair tendon trouble can help him enjoy his third season in Canada.

"Because of niggling injuries, it was an interrupted season," Miller said. "When I was out there and playing it was a decent season and I enjoyed it.

"We went through a spell where we were playing some great stuff and I was scoring goals and I was fit and it was great.

"But it was a frustrating because of niggling injuries and I was affected by the knee to be honest."

Meanwhile, Miller has also said that he feels there are strong parallels between Gordon Strachan's effect on the national team and Walter Smith's previous rejuvenation of their fortunes.

Smith almost resurrected Scotland's fragile hopes of qualifying for the 2006 World Cup when he replaced Berti Vogts and then set them on their way in the next campaign, which almost led to the Scots splitting Italy and France under Alex McLeish.

Strachan led Scotland to three victories from their last four qualifiers in their otherwise disappointing Brazil 2014 campaign after Craig Levein's departure, and two clean sheets in friendlies against the United States and Norway in the past week have fuelled optimism ahead of the 2016 European Championship qualifiers.

Miller, who retired from international football after scoring in a 3-2 defeat by England in August, said: "There are a lot of similarities in the response they have got from players and the upturn in fortunes, and so quickly.

"Even if you ask Gordon, he couldn't put his finger on it.

"I've heard him say many times that he is not going to complicate things, he will set his team up how they want them to play and give every player instructions on how he wants them to play.

"The lads are responding really, really well.

"Sometimes people just have an effect on players.

"I know for instance with Walter, he made me feel 10 feet tall by the way he treated me and how he spoke to me.

"I was even getting a wee bit of stick and he had a wee chat with me to let me know how he felt I was doing and how he saw us going forward, not just the team but me as a player.

"I remember leaving that and felt Walter Smith had given me untold amounts of belief and confidence. It took my game to another level.

"The players will hopefully get that response from Gordon as well.

"The early signs are that we are going the right way.

"The performances and results against Croatia home and away, similar to the way we beat France home and away, they are massive results and it shows on any given day we can compete with very good teams."

The recent performances have softened the blow of leaving the national team for Miller.

The 33-year-old stepped down to allow Strachan to rebuild his team for the 2016 bid.

"It's been enjoyable seeing the fantastic results we have produced in the last three or four games," Miller said.

"It's tough on the other side that I am missing out.

"I have spoken to a few people who have, not just retired from internationals but retired all together, and they say it's always hard that first few games that come around.

"You miss it, you miss being back with the boys, you miss getting ready for the games. But I have actually enjoyed watching them."