Burley's backing for rule change; FOOTBALL SHORTS: SCOTLAND.

GEORGE Burley last night defended the rule change which could see Andrew Driver become the first player to be capped by Scotland with no family ties to the country.

Scottish Football Association chief executive Gordon Smith changed the eligibility criteria to include players who have spent five years' schooling in the country as well as holding a British passport.

Hearts winger Driver, born in Lancashire but who moved to Edinburgh as a youngster, is the most obvious beneficiary but his selection could prove controversial - he played for the England Under-21 side as recently as this summer.

Burley said: "He's a young lad and played with England in the summer and there's a lot of people speaking about it. Give him time and if at some point he's desperate to play for Scotland, actually that's something we'll look at."