SAM Allardyce for England? Well, you can't deny he's done a great job at Bolton since taking them up to the Premiership.

When they first got promotion, like all sides who come up, they were everybody's first pick for relegation.

But when the pre-season predictions are being made now, nobody tips Bolton. It's not an issue.

They are an established Premiership side and they are respected - albeit more for the tough time they give opponents rather than the way they play the game.

And this is the problem for Big Sam if he wants to make the step up to international management that everyone seems to think he is primed for.

I think you need to be at a bigger club before you can take on the England job because at a club like Bolton the challenges are very different.

It's all about staying up and doing whatever it takes to reach that goal.

In his time at Wanderers, Sam has brought in a lot of loan players to give his squad that extra kick in their survival fights in the past.

He hasn't spent a lot of money, but he is very shrewd and what he has spent, he's spent wisely.

So it's not as if Sam isn't cut out for England, it's just I think the FA would probably like to see someone with a proven track record at a big club.

There's certainly no doubt that he can handle big players because he always says what he thinks and isn't scared of it.

He has the temperament to do the job and, as Blackburn Rovers will no doubt find out at Ewood tomorrow, he gets his players to stick to their task and play the way he wants to.

There is one thing he can't do, however, if he wants to take on the England job and that's fall out with reporters.

The press are automatically on your back when you take that job anyway so it's essential you're on good terms with them.

He fell out with Radio Five's Alan Green after he called Bolton's style of play 'ugly'.

I don't think anyone can deny that Bolton's football is the prettiest and not the style you expect from an established Premiership club.

But then, when I used to play against him he would kick you up the backside and then have a beer with you afterwards, so maybe he was just caught on a bad day.