Sunderland boss Gus Poyet says that Lee Cattermole would be a certain starter in the Uruguay national side – and believes he should be part of the England set-up, likening him to former team-mate Dennis Wise.

Ex Black Cats midfielder Jack Colback was included in Roy Hodgson’s squad for the first time this week, just two months after quitting the Stadium of Light for Newcastle.

But there was no place for the in-form Cattermole, the suspicion being that seven career red cards have curtailed the international involvement of the former Under-21 regular.

VIDEO Scroll down for Gus Poyet dismayed at Lee Cattermole getting sent off (archive)

Hard done by: Sunderland boss Gus Poyet says his midfield enforcer Lee Cattermole is under-rated

Walk-in: Cattermole was overlooked again for England duty but would make the Uruguay side, says Poyet

Poyet, though, says the 26-year-old is worthy of a senior call-up.

‘Me, I like players like Lee. I need one like him at least, but some managers don’t like a player who one day is going to get a red card,’ he said ahead of Saturday’s trip to QPR.

‘I don’t care, it’s part of the game. I got a few red cards when I was a player.

‘In Uruguay, (there is) no doubt he would be picked. We like that sort of player. If I was a national team manager I would definitely pick him because I like his character and the way he plays the game.

‘We are a different team when he is on the pitch and that’s important for him. Maybe that will help him get into the England team.’

Poyet has even compared Cattermole to his former Chelsea team-mate Wise, who was capped 21 times by England.

Hard man: Poyet says he needs a player like Cattermole in his side

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‘There is something like Dennis in him,’ added the Uruguayan. ‘They are similar characters. They play in the same position, they hate losing, they bring the team up in a certain way but they show that with frustration now and again.

‘Wisey was important, he was a leader and he helped the others maintain concentration. You need players like that, I’ve always said Wisey was the main person at Chelsea, we all followed him and were led by him.’

Cattermole was the subject of a £5 million offer from Stoke in January but Poyet blocked the sale. And he said: ‘The best decision we made last January was keeping Lee. We had offers from Stoke, but the chairman asked me if I needed him and I said yes, so he didn’t sell him.

‘Phew, what a decision. It doesn’t matter about how much money you can get for a player, it’s about how much they help you win games and the difference between staying up and going down.’