TWO-TIME European Cup winner Sammy Lee paid tribute on Saturday to Sam Allardyce for leading Wanderers to success on his UEFA Cup debut.

Lee, a key figure in Liverpool's domination of Europe in the late Seventies and early Eighties and now a valued member of the England backroom team, is widely regarded as one of the top coaches in the land.

But he has seen enough in just three months as Allardyce's right hand man to acknowledge the Bolton boss as a supreme tactical talent.

"For all my experience in Europe, I'm still learning and I'm learning in particular from this man," Lee said of the Reebok boss.

"His tactical changes and substitutions are absolutely fantastic.

"It's no discredit to anybody who comes off, but sometimes the game needs a change and his ability to see it and effect the change is superb."

Allardyce admitted taking what he described as "a massive gamble" with his team selection for the UEFA Cup decider against Lokomotiv Plovdiv in Bulgaria on Thursday and, with just 11 minutes to go, he feared it would backfire.

But, as he had done in the first leg at the Reebok, he made three crucial second half substitutions - replacing Fabric Ferndandes, Jared Borgetti and Joey O'Brien with Kevin Nolan, Kevin Davies and Hidetoshi Nakata - to turn the tide Wanderers' way, securing a 2-1 win on the night and 4-2 aggregate victory.

He was relieved at the end, knowing how close he had come to laying himself open to serious criticism, but there was little time to reflect on the success of clearing the club's first European hurdle as the Bolton backroom boys immediately began preparing their players for Sunday's Premiership duel with Wigan Athletic.

The sports science team ensured players were given special drinks as the first stage of the recovery and refuelling process while the coaching staff switched the focus from European to domestic issues.

"From the minute the final whistle sounded, the lads were preparing the players on the fitness side, the medical side, the tactical side and the technical side," Lee said, outlining the attention to detail that has earned Wanderers universal acclaim in recent seasons.

"We know it's going to be a very difficult game and the key to the preparation is the recovery process. The preparation that goes into every game from the backroom staff here, whether it be on the medical side, the fitness side or the tactical side is phenomenal.

"As soon as the players got in the dressing room they were being prepared physically and mentally for Wigan. Hopefully it will pay off."

Lee, who knows Latics manager, Paul Jewell, from their playing days at Anfield, has been delighted to see his old team-mate as the leading man in Wigan's fairytale promotion to the Premiership, where they have shown no sign of being overawed.

"Jewelly's done a fantastic job there," he said. "I know him very well and I'm pleased for him - obviously that doesn't extend to tomorrow, but he'll accept that because he's a professional.

"We have to get the preparation right for Wigan, just as we have to prepare for all the games."

Lee made no apologies for losing his cool in a succession of touchline rants in Burgas, putting it down to his natural passion for the game, something he shared with the 2,000 Wanderers supporters who were massed behind him.

"The game excites me, this club excites me," he said, "and just look at the supporters.

"I'm not being glib, when I say it, but they were fantastic. They went all that way and gave us incredible vocal support.

"I've got to be honest, if you fail to get excited by football, and especially the atmosphere of European football, then there's something wrong with you.

"I was only at this club for a short time as a player but the way I was treated gave me a great affinity with the club that has never receded.

"So I'm really pleased for everybody associated with Bolton Wanderers - the supporters, the board, the owner and the players - that they're off the mark in Europe."