THERE was a sudden outbreak of excitement among members of the Tartan Army for the first time since Scotland were knocked out of the Euro 2024 finals yesterday as Harvey Barnes “refused to rule out” switching his international allegiances from England.
The £38m Newcastle United winger, who made one appearance for the country of his birth in a friendly against Wales at Wembley back in 2020, is eligible to play for the national team through his paternal grandparents.
The prospect of such a gifted Premier League footballer donning a dark blue jersey lifted the spirits of supporters who are still hurting about their heroes’ failure to progress beyond the group stages in Germany back in June.
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I’d take him in a heartbeat. Get him in the squad ASAP. Make the call now. Those were just some of the online comments which were posted on social media websites in the wake of an interview the 26-year-old gave to the media at United’s pre-season training camp in, ironically enough, Bavaria.
Will Barnes now be named in Steve Clarke’s squad for the Nations League matches against Poland at Hampden and Portugal in Lisbon next month?
It would help Scotland’s chances of holding their own in the A League if he was. Clarke’s men were lacking in width, creativity in the final third and a goal threat in their Group A matches against Germany, Switzerland and Hungary. The former Leicester City man would provide all three if he was involved.
Clarke has been heavily criticised by pundits, former players and fans since the 1-0 loss in Stuttgart. His stance on Barnes, though, is the correct one. There is no point bringing on board an individual, even a supremely gifted and vastly experienced one, if his heart isn’t in it.
“If we can find people who will improve us and who really, really, really want to be with us then we can improve the squad that way,” said Clarke in September last year. “If there are people who have a little doubt and they’re not quite sure then I am not going to be phoning up and trying to persuade anybody to come.
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“I want a Che Adams, I want a Lyndon Dykes. On board from the first minute they walked in the door, on board with everyone at it. They understand what it means to everybody within the group.”
Barnes, who wasn't involved with England at Euro 2020, Qatar 2022 or Euro 2024, didn't exactly give the impression that he was itching to be a part of things when he spoke yesterday. “It’s not something I’ve thought too much on,” he said. “The main focus is to get back playing for Newcastle first of all and then see what happens.”
If he does decide that he wants to get involved in the future, if he does exhibit the sort of hunger which is needed, he will find he is welcomed with open arms.
