Nicky Hunt is confident Bolton can progress to the quarter-finals of the Uefa Cup.
Bolton prepare for a tough test in Portugal
Nicky Hunt is confident Bolton can progress to the quarter-finals of the Uefa Cup, despite travelling to Portugal without 12 first-team players.
Bolton arrive in Lisbon to face Sporting as underdogs following a 1-1 draw at The Reebok, which saw the home side create a number of chances without finishing off their European counterparts.
It will take a monumental effort for an under-strength Bolton side to progress to the competition's latter stages, but as Hunt is eager to point out, they have already shown this season - against the likes of Atletico Madrid - they are capable of causing an upset overseas.
"We have brought a few young lads but our main aim is to get through to the quarter-finals," he told
Sky Sports News.
"We've brought a team here that we think can do the job, hopefully we can.
"The players we have will give 150 per cent every game. There is no-one falling short fitness-wise. We need to get the result we need and focus then on Sunday.
"We showed in the home leg we can create chances. Lisbon will be a tough test but then so was Madrid. I'm sure we can go over there and get the result."
Relegation battle
Bolton's battle to retain their top-flight status is clearly behind Megson's decision to travel with an under-strength side but Hunt insists everyone in the club's camp is looking only in one direction.
"There are about eight teams in the relegation fight now. We had a meeting yesterday and decided we're not looking below us or immediately above us - we're looking for 12th place.
"We believe we can finish 12th - the manager, all the players and the staff.
"The players we have in the dressing room shouldn't be there (in the relegation zone) but the league table doesn't lie. We need to knuckle down and get the results we need."
