England manager Steve McClaren believes Newcastle
defender Steven Taylor will soon "be knocking on the door" for a
senior call-up.
McClaren was highly impressed with centre-back Taylor's displays in
the recent European Under-21 Championship finals that ended in an
agonising 13-12 penalty shoot-out semi-final defeat to
Holland.
The 21-year-old, who is currently recovering from an ankle injury
sustained in that game with the Dutch, is now firmly in McClaren's
thoughts ahead of the impending new season.
"Steven Taylor is a player I have been watching for some time now,
and I will be watching again to see how he progresses next season,"
McClaren told the Newcastle Evening Chronicle.
"He has been an important member of the England Under-21 set up for
some time now, and he was an outstanding captain when Nigel
Reo-Coker went off.
"Steven Taylor displays the sort of spirit I want from all the
England sides - from the Under-15s right through to the senior
squad.
"And if he maintains the sort of form he has shown lately then he
should be knocking on the door of the full England team."