INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY - Wales v Scotland
Venue: Cardiff City Stadium Date: 14 November Kick-off: 1500 GMT
Coverage: Full commentary on BBC Radio Wales, score updates on BBC Radio 5 live and online. Live on Sky Sports 1

By Peter Shuttleworth

Andy Dorman represented Wales at under-18 schoolboys level

Newly-eligible Wales midfielder Andy Dorman admits he had given up hope of representing "his country" before the eligibility rules changed last month.

The St Mirren star hopes for his first Wales call for their friendly with Scotland in Cardiff on 14 November.

"It was quite frustrating as it seemed a strange technicality prevented me from playing for Wales," said Dorman.

"I'd given hope of playing for Wales so I'm glad now that rule has changed as I consider myself Welsh."

Dorman was born in Chester to English parents but lived most of his childhood in the North Wales village of Hawarden.

He represented Wales under-18 schoolboys but as the talented midfielder had no Welsh blood, he could not continue his international career with Wales - only England.

Now Fifa have ratified a Home Nations-backed proposal to change the criteria of which country British players can represent.

Players with five years of compulsory education in the specified country are now eligible to represent that nation - so as Dorman lived in Wales for almost 18 years before going to university in the United States, the 27-year-old can now finally realise his international dream.

606: DEBATE Should John Toshack give Andy Dorman a Wales chance?

Wales boss John Toshack is tracking Dorman's progress in the Scottish Premier League and Wales assistant manager Roy Evans watched his goal-scoring display in St Mirren's 3-3 draw with Motherwell last weekend.

"I looked into representing Wales years ago and I considered appealing the eligibility rule or ways of getting around it," Dorman told BBC Sport.

"That's how much I wanted to play for Wales.

"There was a lot of talk of the rule being changed but, If I'm honest, I never thought it would change - so it is great that it finally has.

"I consider myself Welsh and every player wants to play for their country so it is great that the rule has been changed.

"I would love the chance to represent Wales as it is the country where I have spent most of my life and all my childhood - it would be an honour.

"I feel Welsh, I'm known as Welsh and I played for the Welsh under-18s schoolboys as well so I've had always had strong feelings towards Wales."

Dorman's performances for the Saints have earned universal praise since his move from United States Major League Soccer side New England Revolution in January 2008.

The attacking midfielder has scored 19 goals in 68 Saints starts and his stunning goals have earned him numerous SPL Player of the Month awards and he was shortlisted for the Player of the Year gong.

Dorman, in the final year of his Saints contract, has also been linked with high-profile moves to the Old Firm giants Rangers and Celtic and English Premier League club Bolton Wanderers.

But Dorman insists he is not listening to the rumours as he wants to let his feet do the talking.

I feel Welsh, I'm known as Welsh and I played for the Welsh under-18s schoolboys as well so I've had always had strong feelings towards Wales St Mirren midfielder Andy Dorman

"I just make sure I play as well as I can," said Dorman.

"I'm not worried about being linked with different clubs but if you're scoring goals, you'll always going to get noticed and I feel I'm playing well."

The new Fifa rule would have meant England striker Michael Owen could have chosen to represent Wales while former Wales captain Ryan Giggs could have starred for England.

Dorman would be a useful addition to a Wales squad that suffered a midfield injury crisis in their last World Cup qualifiers in Finland and Liechtenstein as Toshack had just three fit frontline midfielders because of to Simon Davies, Jack Collison, Joe Ledley and Brian Stock.

The new legislation adds to the current eligibility criteria that players can represent a country if he, a parent or grandparent was born there.

The four "Home Nations" are in a unique position as, while players play for different countries, they all have the same passports as United Kingdom nationals.

However, the four nations have a stricter eligibility criteria than Fifa actually demand as other international teams can call up a "foreign" player once he is naturalised after two years in that country.

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