By Mark Heys
March 15 2006

Former England star David Platt has urged Bolton Wanderers skipper Kevin Nolan not to make any hasty decisions over his international future. Liverpudlian Nolan is currently pondering whether to stick with the country of his birth or switch allegiences to the Republic of Ireland where club mate Joey O'Brien recently won his first cap.

However Platt says that the midfielder will be the first name that springs to mind should an injury befall one of the England click before the World Cup starts in three months time.

"If Frank Lampard was to be injured at any stage from now on in, then Kevin's name would automatically come to the fore because of the amount of goals he's scored.

"It's not ideal that these players are reliant upon injuries to others but they still have a chance. They'll know that. No player is going to play better just because of the World Cup. Their clubs are chasing European football, so they'll continue to play at their top level to give themselves an opportunity should an injury arise."

Ex-Arsenal star Platt famously continued to snub Nolan whilst as the coach of the England U21 team in 2002 but the likes of Alan Hansen, Tony Adams and others have all backed the Bolton midfielder to represent the Three Lions team sooner rather than later.