SAM Allardyce insists Paul Robinson should already be guaranteed a place in England’s World Cup squad after claiming there is no better candidate to be the number one.

Robinson could return to Blackburn Rovers’ Premier League squad at Fratton Park today, after a rapid recovery from a calf strain, with his manager urging Fabio Capello to offer his goalkeeper a World Cup lifeline.

The Rovers keeper is not guaranteed an instant return to the starting-line up against Portsmouth this afternoon though, with Allardyce admitting he faces a tough decision between current incumbent Jason Brown and Robinson.

Allardyce said: “We will have to decide whether we put Paul in first. Perhaps as an outside influence in his quick recovery was his desire to go to the World Cup.

“He wants to get back fit and into the team because he was sensing we were going to finish the season strongly and I have to say for Browny and the defenders we haven’t missed him.

“From the substitution at Tottenham where we know Jason got caught out for the second goal, he hasn’t cost us a goal and we have gone on to draw with Chelsea which was a magnificent result and beat Burnley and Birmingham.”

While Robinson’s immediate domestic fate is uncertain, Allardyce insists his international future should not be shrouded in so much doubt.

The former Spurs and Leeds man has largely been ignored by Capello, with just one call-up under the Italian to his name, but Allardyce believes he should be taken to South Africa this summer.

He said: “He should already be in the England squad. It is not for me to tell Fabio Capello how to do his job but at the end of the day, from the position I am in, there is no way you can’t take him.

“For me who else is there? David James is not playing that well at the moment, West Ham are having a really bad time - not so much Robert Green - but West Ham as a club are fighting a relegation battle. Psychologically it must be very challenging for him at the moment.

“Joe Hart has done okay but he has no experience of playing in major, major tournaments and you have Paul Robinson who has had an outstanding season with Blackburn Rovers.

“In terms of his consistent level of performance, we have reached double figures in terms of clean sheets now and he has contributed to that, and his experience in that level of football, only David James can match it.

“But David James is 39 and injured quite a bit and for me there is no better candidate to be in there among the challengers to be the England goalkeeper for the World Cup.”

Robinson, 30, already has 41 England caps to his name and was an ever present in the 2006 World Cup finals campaign in Germany – keeping four clean sheets from five games.

Current first choice David James is expected to be absent from Portsmouth’s goal this afternoon, as his injury woes show no signs of easing, leaving Allardyce baffled at Robinson’s continued England exclusion.

“Perhaps Paul should get on the phone, ring Fabio up and ask why,” said Allardyce.

“But for me there is no doubt in my mind to say with his experience and past record and form and confidence he should be travelling to the World Cup.

“He is very, very disappointed of course. He is managing the situation very, very well and is just hoping he can continue to play well and that his performances speak for themselves.

“I personally think they have done and he has to continue to do that between now and the end of the season and hopefully that is enough to persuade Fabio to put him in the frame.

“I have to say he has done a fantastic job, a brilliant job in getting us there.

"But for me, it should not be a question. It should be in pencil for me now.

"Paul Robinson should be indian ink dried on the paper.”