Scotland boss Craig Levein has failed in an attempt to secure the commitment of Newcastle United striker Shola Ameobi.
The Nigerian-born striker has England Under-21 caps and a British passport.
Levein probed whether the 28-year-old would be eligible as he had never played a competitive game for England.
But the gaffer was thwarted as Ameobi had not been educated north of the border. It's the same Home Associations rule which blocked George Burley capping Nacho Novo.
Levein said: "I thought he may have been able to play for Scotland, but the Home Associations rule is clear.
"It changed a year ago. You have to be educated in Scotland for five years and it fell down as Shola had not been."
