NEWLY-installed Manager of the Month Sam Allardyce insists that it is only a matter of time before Kevin Nolan graduates at international level.

The young Wanderer, who has made an impressive start to the Premiership, has already won England Youth honours and, says his manager, is destined to go even higher.

So convinced, in fact, that he has taken a pop at the England hierarchy for ignoring the youngster's international credentials.

Delighted with the impact his 19-year-old midfield prospect has made - including scoring twice in the 5-0 opening day win at Leicester, the Wanderers' boss reckons Sven Goran Eriksson and David Platt were wrong to overlook him last week.

Victories over Germany and Albania justified the selection and maintained Platt's winning start as U21 boss but Allardyce believes his boy should still have made the squad.

"I was a little disappointed Kevin didn't get recognised for the England U21s this time," he said. "His emergence into the Premiership has been recorded so well that maybe he would have warranted a call, perhaps not to play but certainly into the squad because I thought he probably deserved that.

"That wasn't to be but, if he keeps on going the way he has been going, I'm sure that will come sooner or later."