FIFA: McLean can't play for NI

Motherwell’s on-loan defender Brian McLean has been told by FIFA that he cannot play for Northern Ireland.

The 21-year-old Rangers centre-half had travelled to Vaduz yesterday in the hope of gaining clearance to play in the U21 international against Liechtenstein, which his team-mates won 4-1.

But having played for Scotland at U17 level before switching his allegiance, the youngster has been told he cannot pull on the green shirt because he failed to play a competitive game for Northern Ireland before he was 21.

McLean was called into the Irish senior squad for the friendly against Portugal last November but had not yet won a senior cap.

The Irish Football Association issued a statement, confirming the bad news.

It read: “Chief executive Howard Wells has been in discussion with FIFA both verbally and in writing regarding the eligibility of player Brian McLean to play for Northern Ireland.

“The situation has been clarified by FIFA in writing and the facts are that the player has been deemed ineligible to play for Northern Ireland as per article 15 parts (i) and (ii) of the regulations governing the application of the FIFA statutes because he has represented Scotland at U17 level in an official UEFA competition in 2002, a fact previously unknown by the Irish Football Association.

“Mr Wells will discuss the matter further with Irish Football Association president Mr Jim Boyce upon his return from Liechtenstein but the current situation is that it would appear that the player will unfortunately be unable to represent Northern Ireland at any international level.”