Celtic manager Gordon Strachan has rejected Bulgaria's request to take Stilian Petrov to Japan for the Kirin Cup.
The double-winning boss wants the transfer-seeking star to stay on in Scotland for Roy Keane and Alan Shearer's testimonial matches.
Strachan said: "Stilian isn't going. There was a request from Bulgaria to have him - but that was turned down."
The Hoops boss made it clear he is not being petty over a player who hopes to be in the last throes of his Celtic career.
"It was nothing to do with him wanting to leave. I wouldn't be that childish."
Strachan, whose championship winners are at home to Kilmarnock in the Bank of Scotland Premier League tonight, also wants Shaun Maloney and Stephen McManus to play in the two fixtures against Manchester United and Newcastle.
He added: "Celtic will always come first, because we play the players' wages.
"If I thought for one moment it would affect anybody's Scotland future then I would balance on the side which would make sure I protect the Scotland future."
Strachan knows Celtic's World Cup players could already be thinking of the summer's showpiece finals.
Maciej Zurawski, Artur Boruc and Shunsuke Nakamura will be heading to Germany.
Strachan said: "They got a four-day rest a while back, which was meant to help them chill out, but we still need to play and win games at the same time.
"Whether their minds are on the World Cup now, I don't know.
"It must be hard to block it out because they've already won the
championship."
Stanislav Varga and Dion Dublin, meanwhile, could win short-term deals after their contracts expire this summer.
Strachan concluded: "We'll speak to Varga and Dion and we'll see what the future holds for them."
