ALAN Pardew has categorically ruled himself out of the running to be the next England manager, but urged Fabio Capello to select the in-form Steven Taylor for this month's friendly double-header with Spain and Sweden.
With Capello due to stand down after next summer's European Championships in Poland and Ukraine, attention is already shifting to the identity of his successor.
There is a widespread feeling, which is understood to be supported within the Football Association, that England's next manager should be English, but with Under-21 boss Stuart Pearce insisting he does not want to be considered as a candidate, there is hardly a plethora of viable options.
Pardew is the highest-ranked English manager in terms of the Premier League table, and his achievements with Newcastle in the opening three months of the season have drew widespread acclaim.
However, the 50-year-old wants to kill off any talk of him succeeding Capello before it has gathered momentum, and is quick to highlight Tottenham's Harry Redknapp as the ideal person to be the next England boss.
"It's nice to hear your name mentioned with things like that, but in terms of the England job, it's not for me at this time," said Pardew, whose side will look to extend their unbeaten start to 11 league matches when they entertain Everton tomorrow. "I'm just not interested in it. I don't think I have the experience to do that job.
"There's someone in hospital at the moment (Redknapp) who could definitely do the job though. I think he's at the right age and he's had the right experience in his career.
"When it comes to the England job, I think the most important thing about the position is that the general public need to buy in to whoever the manager is. I think they would willingly buy in to Harry Redknapp, and I think that's very important. He would definitely be my choice."
While Pardew has no interest in selecting future England squads, he is keen to give some Capello some guidance when it comes to choosing the 23-man party to face Spain a week tomorrow and Sweden three days later.
Capello will name his final squad this weekend, and it remains to be seen whether it features John Terry, who is currently the subject of a police investigation into an alleged racist comment aimed at QPR defender Anton Ferdinand.
Even if Terry is selected, this month's double-header offers a rare opportunity for experimentation ahead of next summer's finals, and with that in mind, Pardew is calling on Capello to reward Steven Taylor's fine start to the campaign.
The 25-year-old centre-half, who is currently behind the likes of Gary Cahill, Phil Jones, Joleon Lescott and Phil Jagielka in the pecking order, was elevated to a senior squad under Steve McClaren, but is yet to make his debut at full international level.
"I honestly think he should be in that squad," said Pardew. "He's a centre-half who is part of a side that has the best defensive record in the league. When you look at England's centre-halves, they have a good collection. But I definitely think Steven should fit in there.
"I haven't had any indication that he's been watched, but I really think he deserves a place in the squad. He's a little bit different to a lot of our players here because he is a Geordie and he represents the area. With that in mind, I think it would be nice for the England squad to have someone from this part of the world in it.
"More importantly, I think he deserves it. But whether he's a realistic contender or not, I just don't know because I've had no communication from the England camp."
Newcastle will rise to second if they win tomorrow - at least until Manchester United have the opportunity to overtake them when they entertain Sunderland - but while the club's sensational start has caught most people by surprise, Pardew rejects suggestions that supporters are already harbouring unrealistic expectations of a Champions League place or even a tilt at the title.
"I really don't sense that," he said. "When I've been in and around the city, most people are just really pleased with the way things are going.
"There's a pride and maybe this team has gone a long way towards putting a spring back in everyone's step. But I don't see people thinking we are going to be Champions League material or a top-four team. I don't see that pressure building. Maybe it will if we are still in this position with two months of the season to go, but not at the moment, no."
Pardew will be without Gabriel Obertan tomorrow, as the winger has suffered an infection in his toe that could also rule him out of the trip to league leaders Manchester City at the end of the international break. Cheik Tiote will have a fitness test on his injured knee in the morning, with the midfielder rated as "touch and go" after missing Monday's win at Stoke.
Meanwhile, Newcastle will attempt to send Nile Ranger out on loan after the striker was arrested for the third time in two months earlier this week.
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