YOU may not be able to teach an old dog new tricks but Sam Allardyce has shown more than enough to suggest he is able to at least get their tails wagging again.

Blackburn Rovers’ boss has prided himself on the ability of handing ‘past masters’ a career lifeline and, with another former world star looking for Allardyce’s Midas touch, he is hopeful of pulling off yet another master stroke.

Allardyce is not naive enough to know that the arrival of Turkish midfielder Yildiray Basturk at Ewood Park is anything but a gamble.

But, if it pays off, he knows more than most the impact the signing could have.

Just eight years ago, the creative midfielder was playing a key role in Turkey’s march to third place in the South Korea and Japan World Cup, as well helping Bayer Leverkusen to runners up in the Champions League in the same year.

He went on to enjoy three impressive years at Hertha Berlin, alongside Rovers team-mate Chris Samba, before moving on to Stuttgart – where his career has faltered in recent times.

Allardyce though remains confident his lack of football can be overcome and claims Basturk’s presence could help inspire exciting times at Ewood Park.

He said: “Obviously we know he hasn’t played much for a while but if he was still a top player he wouldn’t have come to Blackburn, would he? In terms of if he was still playing top football at the top level, he wouldn’t be here.

“What we have got is someone who has been cast off at the club he has been at and he fancies coming to the Premier League and testing his ability here.

“I have had many of those so-called mercenaries in the past.

“Jay-Jay Okocha, Youri Djorkaeff, Fernando Hierro, Ivan Campo, Bruno N’Gotty and Stelios Giannakopoulos. They have all been outstandingly good players in the Premier League.

"I just hope Basturk will do the same. He certainly has the pedigree anyway.”

Basturk has initially joined on a short-term deal until the end of the season, after having his contract terminated by Stuttgart but Rovers would look to extend his stay if he can impress in hte Premier League over the next few months.

At 31, the German-born Turk will be confident he can reproduce his old magic and Allardyce is determined to give him every opportunity to do so at Ewood Park.

The Rovers boss said: “If he can reproduce what he has produced in Germany, and I was speaking to Chris Samba about him when he played at Hertha Berlin, then we are looking forward to Basturk.

“I hope he is one of those gems I used to be able to find at the old club down the road.”