Sam Allardyce should include Championship players in his next England squad, says Rafael Benitez

Benitez highlighted Jonjo Shelvey's recent perdormances as an example

Rafael Benitez says Sam Allardyce should scout Championship players too (Getty Images)

Sam Allardyce should look to the Championship before naming his next England squad, with Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez urging him utilise the talent available in the second tier.

Benitez was referring to midfielder Jonjo Shelvey in particular, who has rediscovered his best form in the Championship since moving from Swansea to St James’ Park for £12m in January.

Shelvey has six England caps to his name already, with the final one coming in November of last year, but has made a strong start to this season and scored twice in Tuesday’s 6-0 demolition of Queens Park Rangers.

But Benitez believes it is not just the former Liverpool player who could play at international level, saying the lower tiers are full of talented home-grown players not given a chance in the Premier League.

"If he can keep his consistency now, if he can keep working as hard as he was working and playing at the level he has been playing, then why not?

"And not just him, any player. The Championship is a very good level now. There are a lot of good English players in this league.

"You don't have too many in the Premier League. Every year in every country - it's the same in Spain - everybody is complaining, saying there are too many foreign players coming and we don't have any space for the English players.

Jonjo Shelvey scored twice in midweek (Getty Images)

"You have fewer in the Premier League, but you have more in the Championship."

Seven members of England’s 22-man under-20s squad that lost 2-1 to Brazil earlier this month are currently playing for Championship sides and while Benitez admits Allardyce can’t watch every player he insists he should still take note of special performances from outside the Premier League.

He added: "You have a lot of media, TV and people at the game who can give you reports, so if someone scores a goal like Jonjo did at QPR and everybody is talking about him, then I'm sure he will have the information to see if Jonjo can stay at this level, or if any of the other players can."