OWEN Coyle has tipped FA Cup hero Chung-Yong Lee for the very top – but refuses to risk his winger running out of steam.

Saturday’s matchwinner against Birmingham has started just one league game since returning from the Asia Cup in January.

Chung-Yong has played without an extended rest for club and country since March 2009, and while the Wanderers boss is thrilled with his impact from the bench – as witnessed in the 3-2 quarter-final victory at St Andrews – he remains worried that his fitness could be at risk.

“Chung-Yong Lee is an outstanding young player and I think as he begins to progress, he could go on and play for any team in the country, he’s that good,” the manager said.

“But as I’ve said before, I cannot keep asking him to start games and burn him out because we will lose all his quality by the end of the season.

“We have to be very careful, and we are doing, but he has such a big part to play. He will be nice and fresh, and able to make the impact he has since he arrived at this football club.

“He’s a quality player, an outstanding young man and he will get better and better.”

Another person singing Chung-Yong’s praises after the FA Cup clash at Birmingham was Johan Elmander who, along with Stuart Holden, had gone out to dinner with his team-mate in the build up to the game.

The Swedish striker reckons the 22-year-old’s goal was just reward for his patience in recent weeks.

“Everybody has done great work in the squad but I’m especially glad for Chungy because he’s been sitting on the bench for a couple of games now,” he told The Bolton News.

“For him to come on and score against Birmingham was special.

“He deserves it, but the fans do too because they have been there supporting us the whole season.”