HENRIK Pedersen's modest assumption that his World Cup call has come only because of a player strike in Denmark was refuted by sources in Copenhagen today.

"There is no player in the Super League (Denmark's top division) who would keep Henrik out of the squad," said Lars Hendel, of the national newspaper BT.

"It is true that the players are on strike here but that is just a coincidence. Henrik is in the squad because Ebbe Sand has stopped playing for the national side after eight years."

Pedersen played down the merits of his call-up, suggesting he might not have been named in the squad for next month's match against Ukraine had players in Denmark not been in dispute.

But Sam Allardyce says he deserves his recall, which comes four years after he won his first and only cap in a friendly against the Faroe Islands.

"Henrik's been telling us that he got the call because all the players in Denmark have gone on strike," the Wanderers boss said.

"But it doesn't matter how you get in, whether by default or not. What matters is how you take the opportunity when it comes along.

"Henrik certainly deserves it. He's got lots of qualities, which he's shown over the last two or three years in the Premiership."

Last season was Pedersen's best since his £650,000 transfer from the Danish club Silkeborg in July 2001 and he kicked off the new campaign with two goals in the 4-1 defeat of Charlton. Although he limped out of Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Fulham with a bruised thigh he has been cleared to play at Southampton.

Allardyce was not surprised that he failed to win a place in the squad for Euro 2004 because he believes Denmark's national coach, Morten Olsen, was not aware of the form he was in.

"I think Morten had decided on his Euro squad before Henrik started playing so well," he said. "He used to come over a lot when we had Per Frandsen and Claus Jensen in the national side but I've never known him to come to watch Henrik in England so I don't think he knows what the player has done over the last couple of years.

"There must have been some really good players in the squad for Henrik not to have got in."