FIFA told they should change their rules amid debate around Newcastle United star

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Harvey Barnes hasn’t even kicked a ball over the past fortnight, but he’s still sparked a huge debate due to speculation over his international future.

It often goes under the radar how good Harvey Barnes can be for Newcastle United, and yet he’s barely been given a chance to show what he can do for England.

It’s not surprising then that Barnes is open to the idea of representing Scotland at international level instead. He has Scottish grandparents, and given he’s only appeared in a friendly for the Three Lions, he can still change his national allegiance.

However, that idea has not gone down well with many. Even Scotland fans aren’t sure about Barnes coming on board, and now another voice has been added to the opposition.

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Harvey Barnes could spark rule change

On the latest installment of the talkSPORT podcast Hawksbee & Jacobs Daily, former Liverpool and Nottingham Forest striker Stan Collymore had a lot to say about the Barnes situation, and he’s clearly not happy with the idea of the winger switching allegiance.

He said: “For me, it’s really simple. At the start of your first contract, you sign a ledger sheet that says, who do you want to play for? Who are the international teams that you can play for? And if it’s England and Scotland, you write down 18 years of age, so you’re of age, I want to play for England, and that’s it, done and dusted.

“Because when you get into these situations, as Harvey Barnes may do… There are people that will have gone through the Scottish system, through the Academy system, played the 17s, 19s, 21s, that might be binned off for somebody that couldn’t commit to the country up to date.

“So for me… [at a pre-agreed point] you have to say, this is the country that I want to play for, and I’m going to stick to it, whether I’m good enough or not. And that would sort out a lot of international football problems.”

These comments come on the back of Gabby Agbonlahor doubting Barnes’ potential involvement and insisting he would upset the harmony in the Scotland squad.

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Does it really matter if Harvey Barnes plays for Scotland?

Let’s be honest, the situation around Harvey Barnes is one that really doesn’t need to cause such a stir. He’s a good player, but he’s not getting anywhere near the England squad anytime soon.

Even his teammate, Anthony Gordon, is a million miles ahead of him right now. If Barnes wants to jump ship and play for Scotland — assuming they want him — then no one should grumble.

I totally get the argument that it’s a bit unethical to represent one country and then change your mind, but in cases like this, it really doesn’t hurt anyone.

Why shouldn’t a player be given the chance to play at a World Cup? Why shouldn’t a country get the boost of having another top talent joining their ranks at a crucial point in their history?

It’s good for Harvey Barnes. It’s good for Scotland. And it can be great for Newcastle, too, if Barnes gets a positive boost to his morale and has something to work towards.