Scots still hopeful over Driver

Published: 20 Jun 2009 - 14:56:49

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The Hearts winger, an unused substitute in England's first two games in the UEFA Under-21 Championship in Sweden, is not currently eligible for Scotland. But the home nations have agreed to introduce Smith's new rule that would see the Oldham-born player qualify because he spent at least five years in school in Scotland. Driver, 21, will be able to change his allegiance once that new rule is ratified even if he does play in the tournament in Sweden, and recent discussions at FIFA's annual congress are set to give him until the age of 28 to make his decision. And Smith is keen to give the player a swift opportunity to make himself available to former Hearts boss George Burley's national team. "England were quite sharp in getting him and that demonstrates how good a player he is," Smith said. "We are trying to change things around in terms of international criteria in order to pick him. "The one I'm introducing now - which has been accepted by Northern Ireland, Wales and England, it has just not quite been put in place yet - would certainly bring Andrew Driver under the auspices of Scotland. "But at the moment he is with England and we'll see going forward whether he will be in a position to change nationality at some stage. "Once he gets in the position where he actually becomes eligible for Scotland, then he has a choice to make. "It's up to him whether he sees himself as playing for England or Scotland. "Even at that stage I would not be against the boy if he thinks 'I feel English'. That wouldn't be a big thing, the main principle is the lad gets the opportunity. "Hopefully, when we get this through, which I think will be the next two or three months, he will have an opportunity to make that decision." Smith proposed the change in eligibility rules following a debate over nationality sparked by Rangers striker Nacho Novo's interest in playing for Scotland. It emerged the Spaniard would not be eligible even if he acquired a British passport because of a gentleman's agreement between the four home nations that restricted them to picking players with the bloodline of at least one grandparent. That raised the prospect of an immigrant being schooled entirely in Scotland but being unable to play for the national team, forcing Smith to take action. Smith added: "It wasn't brought in for any one particular player, it was for the principle that brought it forward for me. "I didn't just think 'I'm going to try to get Andrew Driver to play for Scotland'."