Gordon Smith has compared Andrew Driver's dilemma over his international future to someone choosing between two potential girlfriends.
But Scottish Football Association chief executive Smith does not believe Driver risks losing both Scotland and England as suitors if he continues to stall on committing to either country.
And he doesn't think Driver should be rushed, telling Press Association Sport: "I feel sorry for the boy because, at the end of the day, he knows two girls - he's not going out with either of them. So he's not upsetting either of them by not selecting one or the other. He might still have not made his mind up which one he prefers."
Smith, who insisted he had no personal view on whether he would like to see Driver in a Scotland shirt, added: "I think he's been a victim of this whole thing, because he's being put under pressure.
"He's officially English at the moment because he played for the England Under-21s and he'd have to change his nationality with FIFA.
"Why should he even consider that unless he's going to be selected for Scotland?
"The thing we need to know about first and foremost is where his Scotland career's going.
"If he comes into contention for selection then there's a situation to consider.
"Until that happens, I think the boy should be left alone."
