Sam Allardyce admits he is relishing the long-awaited oppor-tunity to see Rovers starlet David Hoilett in action.

The 19-year-old Canadian striker is touch-and-go to join up with the Rovers squad for their tour of Italy and Croatia, after winning a long drawn-out fight for a work permit, but he is unlikely to make his first team debut in tonight’s friendly against AS Roma in Bolzano, Northern Italy The Rovers academy product will be handed his chance to make an impact in England this summer though and, if he is unable to make the games against CD Nacional and Hajduk Split on Saturday, he should be given his first taste of action at Leeds a week on Saturday.

Having spent the 2007-08 season on loan with SC Paderborn in Bundesliga Two, Hoilett proved a sensation during last season’s loan spell at German second division outfit St Pauli.

He scored six goals last season and became a firm favourite with the fans.

Although his bid for a work permit was turned down earlier this summer, putting his Rovers return in jeopardy, the club won their appeal, and he is finally ready to start his Ewood Park career.

Alladyce said: “Elrio van Heerden is with us now and we should soon finally also have, I am very pleased to say, our young starlet David Hoilett.

“I am really looking forward to that from what I have seen from his debut in Germany and from what everyone tells me about him.

“I am really, really pleased to finally get the chance to see him. We have earned it for him to play for Blackburn Rovers.

“I am looking forward to that as well and hopefully he can come in and show us what he can do.”

With Martin Olsson, Morten Gamst Pedersen and van Heerden in contention for tonight’s game against Roma, along with Christian Vieri, Allardyce almost has his full squad to choose from.

Only the injured Brett Emerton and Steven Reid now remain sidelined as the Rovers boss looks for continuation of the impressive opening win at Cambridge.

Allardyce said: “We will not be letting anyone have more than 60y minutes this time.

“We think that is the right way forward and we will stay committed to that approach.

“Perhaps 60 minutes for some of these lads and perhaps 45 for Morten and Martin, who have only joined us in the last couple of days.

“We have been looking forward to this trip, we have three very good games.

“It is a little bit too much travelling we know, but the games are very important and they are good ones.”

“Looking at the fitness at Cambridge, the lads looked very good and very sharp, they looked like they enjoyed their football, which is very important when you are starting a new season.

“It is about getting the basics right, and as the games get more challenging we will improve as the pre-season moves on. ”

Meanwhile, Allardyce looks set to miss out on target Peter Crouch, with Sunderland close to sealing a £12m move for the Portsmouth striker.