WHERE Wanderers lead, the rest follow.

Sven Goran Eriksson's success with England has prompted calls for a more scientific approach from England's managers and coaches - to the point where the Premiership is being pilloried for being reluctant to embrace new ideas.

Leading psychologist, Professor Cary Cooper of the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) reckons: "We have so much to learn from the Scandinavians and people like Eriksson.

"I am surprised top football clubs remain sceptical of sports psychologists when they can make a difference.

"The margin between success and failure at the top level is very, very slight. You have to get the mind right as well as the body."

Sound familiar? It should because while Sam Allardyce might be new to Premiership management there isn't much he does not know or is not prepared to learn about sports science.

His brash, no-holds-barred approach to the game as a player earned him a reputation and the nickname of "Big Sam" but the fact is that the Bolton boss is no duck egg.

Nutritionist, dieticians, fitness experts and conditioning coaches are now fixtures and fittings at the Reebok while sports psychologist Mike Forde from Advance Performance Limited has been assigned to Wanderers - 24 hours a day, seven days a week - since Allardyce arrived.

Hardly the actions of a sceptic!

Yet, "unfashionable Bolton" don't get the credit. Instead, the media have concentrated on Norwegian Professor Willi Railo, who is a key member of Eriksson's team, and Bill Beswick who is Steve McClaren's right hand man at Middlesbrough.

Indeed, McClaren is considered one of the most open minded, forward thinking coaches in the game and was hailed as a mastermind when he introduced the ProZone system of computer analysis of matches. Yet ProZone is just one of a number of tools Allardyce uses to enhance his traditional coaching methods.

Professor Cooper says: "Some managers are good motivators. Sir Alex Ferguson is one, so is Kevin Keegan at club level but most tend to be a bit old-fashioned. If things are going wrong they tend to try and muddle through.

Weakness

"They may have a problem with a certain individual but think it is a sign of weakness if they admit to having a problem.

"Surely it would be better to turn to someone with experience in that field, someone like a sports psychologist.

"As far as I am concerned, sports psychologists are fundamental to football - as are nutritionists and fitness coaches.

"Perhaps if Eriksson continues to have success with England attitudes will change. I certainly hope so."

Wise words but as far as Wanderers are concerned, he is preaching to the converted.