Hearts' Andrew Driver will add a different dimension to Levein's Scotland squad

• Craig Levein

The new national boss signed Driver for Hearts when he was in charge at Tynecastle and was delighted when the English-born winger, who qualifies for Scotland through his schooling, pledged his future to Scotland after a face-to-face meeting earlier this week

Levein has watched Driver's career progress from afar and is looking forward to working with him again on the international scene. He said: "I spoke to him on the phone and then had a meeting with him and his father.

"Everything was very positive, I asked him if he wanted to have time to think about it but he said no, and that he had already made his mind up.

"He wants to play for Scotland so now we are just making sure that all of the background stuff is right and that he fulfils all of the requirements, we know that he was schooled in this country for five years or more but everything has to be checked out properly before we can move forward.

"I signed him for Hearts a long time ago and I've been watching his career from afar over the last few years. I've been really impressed by the improvement and how his career has progressed.

"At international level, he played for England in the Under 21 European Championships in Sweden last year and did very, very well over there. I thought that he had a fantastic season last season, although this time around he's had a bit of bad luck with injuries.

"He hasn't quite managed to get back to the level he was at last year but he will do, once he gets back to playing regular football. He is just a young boy, he is really quick, direct and scores goals – and most importantly, he considers himself to be Scottish.

"I am really encouraged that he wants to play for us."

Former Hearts and Dundee United manager Levein, who won 16 caps for his country, is hoping to take Scotland to the finals of a major tournament for the first time since 1998 by qualifying for Euro 2012

in Poland and Ukraine and Levein today was jetting out to Warsaw for the draw for the qualifying round, which takes place tomorrow.

The qualifying competition, which starts in September and lasts until November 2011, will feature 51 teams split into nine groups. Scotland will be seeded in pot three for the draw and there will be six groups of six teams and three groups made up of five teams. Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, England, Portugal, France, Croatia and Russia are the top-seeded nations.

Levein is hoping that even more players from Edinburgh will join Driver in forcing their way into his plans for future squads and qualifying campaigns and feels that his cause at the helm of Scotland can only be helped by the fact that two Scottish managers with a record of bringing young talent through the ranks are currently at Tynecastle and Easter Road: "Hearts and Hibs have always produced good talent and right now there is a good nucleus of young players coming through their ranks.

"That is great for me and Andrew Driver, I feel, will bring something to the squad that we don't really have right now.

"I know Jim Jefferies really well – although I also liked Csaba very much. One of the things that has happened at Hearts in recent years as a result of the lack of investment is that younger players have been given an opportunity. Hibs also have a fairly good recent record and John Hughes has a fantastic history of working with younger players if you look back at his time with Falkirk.

"In his first spell at Hearts Jim worked wonders with the younger players at the club so I am extremely comfortable working with those two guys.

"Jim has always found gems at smaller clubs. Going back a few years now, I remember Jim finding the likes of Colin Cameron at Raith Rovers and Jim Hamilton, who was at Dundee. He has done that at all levels and all of the clubs that he has worked with throughout his career.

"It's good to have an eye on the younger players and to be able to give them an opportunity.

"I am really happy that there are managers at both of the Edinburgh clubs who will give younger players – and Scottish players – an opportunity if they are good enough."

Levein added: "Lee Wallace is another one who is on the radar. I couldn't make it along to Hearts' game against St Mirren on Tuesday night but I had someone there watching and I saw him in action myself a couple of weeks ago against Rangers. He is definitely one on the radar."

Meanwhile, Levein revealed that Barry Ferguson, Allan McGregor, Kris Boyd and Lee McCulloch could all soon be back in the Scotland fold. Ferguson and McGregor were told they would never play for Scotland again after making obscene gestures as they sat on the bench at Hampden during the 'Boozegate' affair, while Boyd and McCulloch both said they would never play under former manager George Burley again.

However, Levein is keen to have all four involved and insisted that if some supporters were unhappy with that decision then they should direct their criticism at him and not at his players.

"It's my job to make these decisions. If there is any stick flying about, then I will take it. I have asked Kris Boydand Allan McGregor to come back on board, they have indicated that they want to do so. For me, what has happened in the past has happened."