Hibs' Martin Boyle '˜would be Scotland's loss if he switches to Australia'

Jamie Maclaren has claimed it would be Scotland's loss if Easter Road team-mate Martin Boyle were to opt to play international football for Australia.

Jamie Maclaren, right, and Martin Boyle, left, could be team-mates with Australia. Pic: SNS

As the Evening News revealed, flying winger Boyle is eligible to play for the Socceroos thanks to his father Graeme being born in Sydney and the Hibs star is currently pursuing an Aussie passport which would clear the way for the Aberdeen-born player to pull on a green-and-gold jersey.

Today Maclaren revealed the Australian authorities are well aware of Boyle’s availability, but the former Brisbane Roar striker, who is on loan at Easter Road from German outfit Darmstadt until the end of the season, believes he’s good enough for Scotland boss Alex McLeish’s squad.

Maclaren still has high hopes of being part of Australia’s squad for this summer’s World Cup finals in Russian and although that may be too soon for Boyle, he believes the longer the former Montrose and Dundee player remains uncapped, the more chance there will be of him playing for the Socceroos.

He said: “If he gets that passport sorted out then I don’t see any reason why he couldn’t play for Australia. I think he is good enough for Scotland as well.

“Australia know about him, I know that for a fact, because they have been in touch [with Hibs] and Boyley is in a great position to have two countries, two passports, and he is good enough to play international football.

“I would definitely say he’d be a loss to Scotland. They do have fantastic wingers like James Forrest and Ryan Fraser at Bournemouth who have similarities to him, but Boyley brings an unpredictability, another dimension because he is so quick.”

Australia’s current coach, Dutchman Bert van Marwijk, will be replaced by Graham Arnold after the World Cup and Maclaren, capped five times, believes the new man in charge will continue to keep tabs on Boyle, saying: “What I would say to Martin is not to hold out for one country because the other one could come through.

“If he is uncapped, the longer it goes then it would be great to have him in our squad.”