TAL Ben Haim snubbed rival Premiership clubs to become the newest recruit to Sam Allardyce's multi-national taskforce, but he might never have set foot inside the Reebok if he had not listened to a piece of fatherly advice.

The 22-year-old defender, who is rated one of the best players Israel has ever produced, was reluctant to accept the offer of a trial with Wanderers, hoping instead to land a more famous club in Europe.

But, once he met Allardyce and saw the Bolton set-up, he was going nowhere else.

His proud father, Emanuel Haim, said: "He was not too enthusiastic to go to Bolton in the first place, because he did not think they were a big team.

"But I told him that he must go. It was a big chance for him.

"He was not too happy to begin with but, after one training session, he changed his mind.

"I pushed him to go to Bolton and now I'm happy with his decision."

Ben Haim was so impressed by how he was looked after from the minute he checked in at the De Vere Whites Hotel when he flew in from Tel Aviv, that he turned down offers of trials with Premiership rivals Tottenham and Manchester City.

"I gave my word and shook hands with Sam Allardyce and told him I wanted to go to Bolton," he told friends.

"After that I had no wish to go anywhere else."