His opinions on the fortunes of Scotland are now formed in the more relaxed surroundings of his Merseyside home, but his return to Hampden on Saturday prompted a reprise of sorts for a man who instilled a sense of calm in the national stadium as a player.

Given the tumult which has enveloped the place following a pallid start to the World Cup qualifying campaign, it was tempting to ask if he wouldn't mind sticking around for a bit.

Just as a manager is linked terminally to the experiences of their side, so had Craig Levein's tenure as Scotland manager been expected to succumb after he took just two points from the opening four qualifiers.

The Scottish Football Association are understood to be prepared to allow Levein to persist on life-support until a friendly with Luxembourg next month, but the plug is likely to be pulled if that decision fosters significant dissent among supporters. That will be the same lot that took to painting the name of their preferred candidate on a sign during the defeat by Wales.

Such flippancy is not helpful, of course, nor was it entertained by Weir. Support for Levein to remain in charge has been effusive and sincere among senior members of the Scotland squad, and Weir echoed their sentiments at the weekend, albeit his views are also coloured by the fact he once wore dark blue.

That has not acted to shroud the litany of disappointing results endured under Levein, but the former defender, who earned 69 caps, is not convinced that removing the manager will add up to an improvement in form.

Weir, who worked under seven different national coaches and was in the squad for the 1998 World Cup, would prefer to see Levein afforded more time to find the answers for Scotland.

"I don't think sacking the manager solves the problem, I think it just shifts it on to somebody else," he said. "You might get a quick reaction but you are back to square one in a lot of respects.

"I'm sure the manager would be the first to admit that he is judged on results and results haven't been good enough, but does sacking the manager solve that? We've all seen that the best teams and the best results are based on stability and longevity, putting systems in place and on people working together over a period of time.

"You are actually trying to solve something that doesn't need solved a lot of the time [by sacking a manager]. I don't see [that] as solving the problem; I think it is creating a new one."

His tone was circumspect, but Weir became more forceful when moved to defend the team. The perception of the Scotland squad has been dictated by results, an earlier insistence that this was a capable, enterprising group having foundered on their position at the bottom of Group A.

The topical choice of comparison is Belgium, a country that last week inflicted the heaviest 2-0 defeat Scotland have suffered in some time and one that has prospered due to the array of glittering gems in their squad.

Their emergence as a nation with designs on success is particularly wearing for Scotland fans as the Belgians were in a similar shape to their side not all that long ago.

Belgium's rise has been used to belittle the quality of players available in Scotland, a tendency Weir regards as endemic to his country. "We kick ourselves more than anybody. We are always worrying about what England think or how we are perceived by everybody else," he said.

"When you don't do well you always question yourself. I don't know if we are that far behind; I mean what have Belgium qualified for? How well have they done in tournaments? Belgium have a fantastic group of players but what have they really done with them so far? It is all potential.

"I think we can measure up against [teams like Belgium]. We have Darren Fletcher, James Morrison – we have fantastic players too. They are playing at a good level at great clubs. Belgium have great players but they have hardly set the heather alight in respect of being successful."

David Weir was speaking after the Bank of Scotland Midnight League Player of the Year event at Hampden. Bank of Scotland Midnight League is a diversionary football programme delivered across all 32 local authorities in Scotland, aimed at boys and girls aged 12-16. For more information visit www.scottishfa.co.uk/midnightleague