Lawrie McMenemy insists playing for Southampton is NOT harming James Beattie's international career.

Despite being the top-scoring Englishman in the Premiership last season, Beattie has only been handed brief chances on the international scene so far - though that could well change against tiny Liechtenstein at Old Trafford.

But Saints managerial legend and former England No 2 McMenemy believes playing for an unfashionable club like Saints makes no difference to a player's international career anymore.

Wayne Bridge quit St Mary's in July remarking that a move to Chelsea would boost his England chances, and he could come in for Ashley Cole tonight.

McMenemy remarked: "Before Wayne Bridge left Southampton had two players in the England squad of 22. Bearing in mind how many foreign players we have in the Premiership these days, that's not a bad figure."

McMenemy also insists Eriksson shouldn't be criticised for persisting with Emile Heskey and Ashley Cole - the two players primarily in the way of Beattie and Bridge's international aims.

"England managers are in the process of winning matches," said McMenemy, England's assistant manager when Graham Taylor was in charge a decade ago.

"They don't have to entertain the crowds all the time, they have to win, they have to qualify for the finals of the major championships and that's what Eriksson looks like doing.

"The match last week (in Macedonia) wasn't a great match to watch but it was a great result.

"There could be just six or eight internationals a season so you don't get too many second chances. And what an international manager is looking for is consistency."

Speaking before news of Beattie and Bridge's likely starts tonight, McMenemy said: "Heskey has been part of a side that has only lost once competitively since Eriksson took over. And he plays with Michael Owen every week.

"It's the same with Ashley Cole. There's question marks over the England defence but Eriksson hasn't had a settled central defensive pair and the goalkeeper's still bedding in.

"Ashley Cole is not the greatest defender in the world, but no manager is going to change just for the sake of it when Cole has also been part of a consistently winning team.

"It's not as if England have been losing matches. If they had lost 1-0 in Macedonia you could say perhaps changes should be made.

"The hard part for people like Beattie and Bridge is getting into the squad, and they have done that. I can't see them not being a part of it.

"They will be mingling with the regular players and probably they won't be as disappointed as the fans that they're not getting more of a chance.

"International managers love a regular side. I remember when Graham and myself were in charge. We had a lad Tony Dorigo who'd been around the world about three times in England squads and who'd hardly played. And he was a left back as well."

Eriksson has been a semi-regular face at St Mary's in the past two years, with his most recent visit taking in Saints' 1-0 win over champions Manchester United last Sunday week when he saw Beattie head a late winner.

McMenemy continued: "In the old days you could argue a case that the England manager didn't notice Southampton players. You have to remember that the England manager only used to go and watch the top clubs play at home, they rarely came to The Dell. England managers might only see our players at Old Trafford, Highbury or Anfield and the strikers aren't going to be as prominent as they are at home.

"But that's not the case any more. Eriksson and his assistant Tord Grip have gone out of their way to attend as many games as possible at all the clubs, so people like Beattie are being watched as often as anyone else."

Don't miss Lawrie McMenemy's exclusive Daily Echo column every Saturday.