Manager Craig Levein has revealed Scotland missed the opportunity to persuade Sebastian Coates to play for their national side – but are determined not to miss out on Liverpool FC player Jonjo Shelvey.
Levein says Scottish Football Association officials have already been in contact with Jonjo Shelvey about him changing football allegiance from England.
The 21-year-old has represented the country of his birth at under-16, 17 and 19 level but has yet to play senior international football and would be eligible to play north of the border because of his Scottish father.
Defender Coates also qualified to play for Levein’s side through his dad but Scotland were too late in their attempts to prise him from the clutches of Uruguay, where he was born.
The 21-year-old had represented his country at every level up to under-20 before the start of the summer so would still have been able to change to Scotland.
However, when capped by the senior side in July’s Copa America – which Uruguay won as Coates was named the tournament’s best young player – the game was up for Levein.
But the Scot’s manager is far more optimistic of landing Shelvey, who is currently enjoying a profitable loan spell away from Anfield with Championship side Blackpool.
“We’ve been in touch and we are hopeful,” said Levein.
“As usual, we will continue to try and unearth as many players as possible to be able to play for us.
“We want as many good players as possible to be able to play for us.”
However, on the missed opportunity with Coates, who has now played six times for his country’s senior side, Levein admitted: “He'd been capped by the time we found out about him.”
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