By Mark Heys
July 13 2005

Sam Allardyce has revealed why he passed up on the chance to sign prolific Zambian forward Collins Mbesuma, who joined Portsmouth yesterday afternoon. The 21-year old wasn't willing to come to Bolton on a weeks trial, instead preffering to sign a three year deal with Pompey subject to a work permit being granted.

Allardyce says that he was given minimal information about the players capabilities and had to make a split decision on whether or not to sign the forward through what he had seen on footage from a DVD.

The Bolton boss told the official site that it was a big risk given the size of the fee that was being touted by Mbesuma's club Kaizer Chiefs.

"Collins left as he wouldn't train with us for a few days and that is all we asked really."

"I had very little information about him other than a couple of videos or DVDs on him and that wasn't enough for us to take a gamble - even though he's a goalscorer.

"The amount of money that the whole package involved, for what we knew about him, was too much.I am not saying he won't be a good player, or a bargain, but we can't take that risk."