Transfer targets dilemma for Sam

2:26pm Saturday 3rd June 2006

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SAM Allardyce admitted today that he is still struggling to convince the world that Bolton Wanderers are a big time outfit.

After six and a half years of striving to shake off the "Little Old Bolton" image, the Reebok boss is still being handicapped by the fact that Wanderers are not taken seriously enough.

Yet the Whites are the only club outside the big four of Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal to finish in the top half of the Premiership for the past three seasons, and are prepared to spend more than ever before, but transfer targets are still reluctant to join the Bolton bandwagon.

Wanderers might be respected as a Premiership force, but Allardyce is finding it no easier to attract the big name signings he has targeted a point rammed home this week when striker Andrew Johnson made his £8.6 million move from Crystal Palace to Everton, despite being offered an equally lucrative deal to come to the Reebok.

Allardyce immediately switched his sights elsewhere, but admits he is coming up against familar hurdles as he tries to improve the quality of his squad .

"It remains one of the biggest challenges, to change the perception that we are no longer a small club," he said.

"It is difficult to turn the tide, despite three successive seasons in the top eight.

"From a historical nature, players will be attracted to so called bigger clubs even though in recent times we have outperformed those types of teams."

Allardyce's famous persuasive powers allied to the impressive support staff he has assembled at the Reebok, have repeatedly halped him sell the club to foreign players who previously knew little of Bolton Wanderers. But he still finds it difficult to get some potential signings to first base.

"Once we get the players through the door, we can normally persuade them to sign because of the way we do things behind the scenes," he said. "However it is very difficult to get to that stage in any transfer negotiation."

Matching Everton's offer for Johnson indicated Wanderers' willingness to give Allardyce more financial clout than ever before in the transfer market.

But the manager is still left with a delicate balancing act as he considers how to get the best out of his increased transfer budget Although he had indicated he wanted to sign six new players this summer, he is prepared to revise his target.

"The club want to move forward and the transfer budget is higher than normal, which is a great commitment from the club and Eddie Davies the owner," he added.

"I have a budget to spend and if it means bringing in three quality players then that's what I'll try to do. I will spread the cost to bring the best quality we need.

"Six players would be the optimum number, but that might just be beyond us. There is no guarantee of capturing the targets because there will be a whole host of clubs chasing the same players.

"It is a tough period but we remain optimistic."