‘Granny rule’ should be tightened up, says Naismith

Scotland’s Steven Naismith believes Fifa’s ‘granny rule’ should be tightened up, but the Everton star has defended the right of his Everton team-mates Aiden McGeady and James McCarthy to declare for Ireland under the current rules.

The 28-year-old has also admitted any criticisms of Ireland for playing players who were born outside the Republic were somewhat hypocritical given they are far from the only nation to have taken that route.

Gordon Strachan’s Scottish squad contains a number of players born in England, for example, and Naismith was open and honest in admitting the presence of those ‘Anglos’ has been beneficial for the national side.