NATHAN Blake hopes he'll move up Wales boss Mark Hughes' pecking order now he's back playing with football's elite.

Wolverhampton Wanderers' 3-0 play-off triumph over Sheffield United ensures their place among the Premiership big-boys next year following a 19-year absence from the top-flight.

Blake can't wait to tangle with Europe's best defenders again after he left the top ranks in 2001 with his switch to Molineux from Blackburn Rovers.

And the Newport-born striker insisted: "I would say that playing Premiership football again pushes me up Mark Hughes' pecking order.

"No disrespect to any of the Division One clubs, but Premier League defences are among the best in the world and going to places like Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea is where you want to be.

"I want to be pitting my wits against the best and if I do well at that level on a regular basis Mark Hughes will surely notice.

"I know my own capabilities and I'm dying to play in the Premier League again - that was my goal when I joined Wolves."

Blake shot to stardom with Cardiff City and no-one was more jubilant when the Bluebirds beat QPR in the Division Two play-off final on Sunday.

But Blake's weekend was blemished when Wales lost their ten-match 20-month unbeaten record to the USA yesterday.

The 31-year-old pointed-out, however : "There were 19 squad members missing for various reasons. and from a player's point of view there was nothing Wales could take from that game.

"I won't be taking much notice of the result and people shouldn't look into it in any detail because there were only four or five first-choice players playing in America. It needs to be taken in context."