SAM Allardyce believes he can prepare Wanderers for Europe -- with a little help from his friendliest rival, Sir Alex Ferguson.

The Bolton boss cherishes his Premiership triumphs over Manchester United as two of the highlights of his five-year Premiership reign, but he numbers the Old Trafford manager as the wisest of confidantes and the most trusted of allies.

"If we got into Europe, he'd be the first call," he said. "You wouldn't want to be going into the unknown ... so it would be important to touch base with Alex, initially, and get an understanding of it (European competition) and how to deal with it.

"We have our own ideas, but hearing it from the horse's mouth would be really helpful."

Allardyce revealed today how he was laughed at when he first voiced his ambition to take Wanderers into Europe five years ago, shortly after taking the Reebok reins. He even admitted himself, as recently as last season when they were pushing for a Uefa Cup place on two fronts, that the club was not ready.

Now he sees it as a realistic target.

Reflecting on the success of guiding Wanderers from a mid-table Division One side to fourth in the Premiership in five head-spinning years, he said: "The ultimate dream was to establish the club in the top division, to win a major cup final and then become a regular contender in Europe.

"You always strive for the ultimate ... it's not always achievable, sometimes it's virtually impossible, but you try and get as close to it as possible. You don't set your targets too high, but you don't set them too low either.

"When we started talking like that five years ago, people would laugh at you, they would laugh at me. There were people within the club who said we couldn't do it but we wrote it down ... we've got it on the board in the war room (the inner sanctum at the Euxton training HQ) ... and we did it."

Allardyce, who has been rewarded for his efforts with a new five-year contract, believes Wanderers are better equipped this season than last, and although he accepts he would have to further strengthen his squad for a European campaign, his first priority would be to get his backroom staff clued up.

He added: "Of course, we know we would have to have a bigger and more talented squad and the rotation system would have to be used even more because it's the Premiership game after you've played in Europe that's the most difficult to win -- that's something we've taken advantage of ourselves.

"Playing in Europe is about balancing your results in the Premiership and being able to cope with it physically and mentally as a staff as well, as a group of players.

"I'd take a lot out of what Alex would tell me about how to cope with it -- not the players but the staff and me as a manager."

Although prepared to discuss Europe as a serious target, Allardyce insists the primary objective at this stage is to secure Premiership safety.

"It's important for us now to keep our feet on the ground and not get carried away," he said, issuing one of his characteristic reality checks.

"There's only nine games gone and a lot more can happen between now and then. The security of the Premiership status always has to be the main focus, initially. The cups are a lovely side attraction and, of course, it's easier to qualify for Europe by winning a cup, because you only play eight games to do that, while finishing fourth or fifth in the Premiership means coming through 38 games.

"We can handle another cup run because we've got a bigger and better squad, bigger and more talented, and we're capable of doing it. But that's not saying we will. We still have to be thoroughly professional in what we do."