Scottish Football Association chief executive Gordon Smith remains hopeful of persuading Andrew Driver to play for Scotland despite his involvement in England Under-21s' European campaign.

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.

"We are trying to change things around in terms of international criteria in order to pick him," Smith said.

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.

"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."