Bolton boss Sam Allardyce has called on Kevin Nolan to rise to Steve McClaren's challenge and force his way into the England team for the first time.

McClaren this week named Nolan among a number of uncapped Premiership players he is watching with a view to calling up for next month's resumption of the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign. And Allardyce believes such a statement can only send confidence rocketing in Nolan - whom he has long championed for an international call to no avail.

Allardyce said: "Kevin is going to get a great lift and I hope he can continue his progress here because only top performances are going to get him in that England side."