STELIOS turned down the chance to play for Greece at the Olympics to help Wanderers in their bid for Premiership success writes Mike Whalley

The 30-year-old returned to the Reebok for pre-season training last week after helping his country to a shock Euro 2004 triumph.

But after being reunited with his Wanderers team-mates -- who presented him with a cake at the club's Euxton training base to mark his achievements in Portugal -- the striker revealed how he had been approached to help Greece win the Olympic football tournament on home soil later this month.

He talked through the offer with Whites boss Sam Allardyce, and they both felt that the former Olympiakos man's existing international commitments were already more than enough.

Stelios is due to play in Greece's World Cup qualifiers this season, while their victory at Euro 2004 has won them a place at the eight-nation Confederation Cup tournament in Germany next summer.

"The Olympic coach asked me to go there," Stelios said. "But I said I had to discuss it with the gaffer here to see what was best for me.

"This season, I have commitments with Bolton, and I have commitments with Greece in the Confederation Cup and in World Cup qualifiers. It's going to be a very tiring year, so I decided not to go. I think it was the right decision.

"I cannot cut myself into two or three pieces to go to the Olympics and stay fit as well. I have to do what is best for me."

Stelios, who was allowed to delay his return to pre-season training after an exhausting summer in Portugal, added that he also turned down the chance to fly the Olympic flag in his home town, just outside Athens.

The Greek authorities wanted him to take part in the Olympic celebrations next Friday, but the striker felt that it was too close to Wanderers' Premiership opener against Charlton the following day.

He does not expect to figure in the Whites' first team for another two to three weeks as he bids to get his fitness back up to the levels of his team-mates, but is determined to make his mark on the Premiership after a first season interrupted by injuries.

"I hope that I can enjoy my football even more this year," he said.

Stelios also revealed the reason he pulled his three-and-a-half-year-old son Alexandros, who was wearing a Wanderers kit, out of the crowd in Porto after Greece's semi-final win over the Czech Republic.

"I hadn't seen him for 30 days because I had been with the Greece squad in preparation for the tournament," he said.

"I had missed him a lot. So when I saw him in the stands, I put my arms around him and took him on to the pitch."

Stelios believes he will get more respect, and attention, from Premiership opponents this season, but is unlikely to let it go to his head.

Asked if he felt he was a big name now, the midfielder -- full name Stylianos Giannakopoulos -- said: "Yes, my name is very, very big."