London, May 21 : Michael Caine has criticized his long time friend Sean Connery for being stubborn and refusing to act in smaller roles.

Caine, who has forayed back into films of late after playing a series of supporting roles in films like Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and Austin Powers in Gold Member, thinks that the 007 star should have followed his lead and settled for less meaty roles.

Caine said that Connery, 79, was too interested in chasing "young man roles".

"The movie business retired Sean Connery because he didn''t want to play small parts about old men and they weren''t offering him any young parts in romantic leads. So he was gone," The Daily Express quoted Caine as saying. (ANI)