JORDI Cruyff insists Wanderers' Premiership prospects should not be judged on the strength of their pre-season defeats by Spanish opponents.

The former Manchester United attacker was in the Alaves side that enjoyed a comfortable 2-0 win at the Reebok on Tuesday, four nights after Athletic Bilbao had won 1-0.

"Every Alaves player loves playing at a stadium like this," Jordi said, surveying the surroundings and reflecting on the Spaniards' superiority.

"But it's a little bit hard (to judge Bolton) because they have played two Spanish teams who are hard teams to play against.

"In the English league the games are so different. Maybe we just didn't suit Bolton's style. If they had played a Premiership team it might have been different."

Wanderers avenged the defeat when they beat Alaves 3-2 in a private friendly at their Euxton training headquarters on Thursday morning, giving Sam Allardyce a boost ahead of next week's Premiership opener at Leicester.

The Bolton boss had not been unduly worried by the poor results, harking back to last year when Wanderers went into their Division One campaign on a the back of a nightmare run of results and injuries in the pre-season programme.

But, after being critical of his team's performance in the public appearance, he was buoyed by the private showing when they played well and is approaching the season in confident mood.

"We are going into it with no fear," he said. "We are determined to enjoy ourselves.

"We have all been working hard and to be honest pre-season has been a delight. I think we will be fitter than we have ever been and are now ready to go to work."

Meanwhile, Cruyff has hinted he may consider a return to the Premiership, despite having his confidence sorely dented by his Old Trafford torment.

"I'm not ready for that step yet," he explained. "The Premiership is a fantastic league and may suit my playing style but I didn't have a happy time there and I've had a happy last year so why should I put myself through that again?"

The son of one of the game's all-time greats, Cruyff is still smarting from his treatment at Manchester United where he felt he was not given the opportunity to display his range of talents. Now, after playing a key role in the Alaves success in last season's UEFA Cup, in which they were beaten by Liverpool in one of the most memorable of European finals, he is not looking to quit Spain.

He was puzzled by the persistent summer speculation touting him for a move to the Reebok but is pleased to know he is still a source of interest in England, despite having struggled to establish himself in Alex Ferguson's star-studded team.

"I don't really know where these rumours came from," he admits, "but there was some interest from England towards the end of last season which surprised me, happily.

"I hadn't had the happiest four years there. I had a little bit of a bad dream but now I'm enjoying a good dream."