The local football association has intervened in the passport application process for Callum Beattie, in a bid to have the Football Club defender available for Hong Kong selection this summer.
Beattie, 23, has been a fixture for his team this season, after studying in the United States and Canada.
A raiding left-back, he was born in Hong Kong but has British citizenship. Beattie started the passport process in August and is optimistic of being naturalised “quite soon”. In June, Hong Kong have a crucial AFC Asian Cup qualifier against India. The following month, they will go to South Korea for the East Asian Football Federation Championship finals.
“I’ve just received a reference letter from the Hong Kong FA to speed up [the application], so, hopefully, it shouldn’t take much longer,” Beattie said.
“[Hong Kong head coach] Ashley Westwood and the technical director [John Morling] signed it. It seems I have their full backing and I’m looking forward, hopefully, to getting in the squad.”
Beattie, whose dad, Danny, played semi-professionally in England and was a Football Club coach, made his senior debut at age 16 in January 2018.
