Darren’s hell-bent on World Cup spot

Sep 9 2009 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

DARREN Bent intends to shake up the England squad ahead of next summer’s World Cup after arguing he can still force his way back into Fabio Capello’s plans at Sunderland.

Bent has already scored two goals in three games this season, including one in front of the watching Capello when the Black Cats lost at home to Chelsea last month.

And, while West Ham’s Carlton Cole and Aston Villa’s Emile Heskey have moved ahead of him in the international pecking order since Capello arrived as manager, Bent is confident a prolific season at the Stadium of Light will force the Italian to alter his plans ahead of the tournament in South Africa next June.

Bent has refused to publicly reveal his goals target following a £16m move from Tottenham Hotspur, but if he can break the 20-goal mark he will make a powerful argument for inclusion.

“It’s still a massive ambition, but at the same time I know its going to be difficult to get back in,” said Bent, who has not played for England since appearing as a substitute in the 3-2 defeat by Croatia in 2007 which saw them fail to reach the European Championships last year.

“He (Capello) seems to have his four or five strikers set, but if I can score a lot of goals, that should help me upset the system a bit. If that’s the case, there’s no saying where I can go.

“I’m always confident that I can a score a lot of goals.

“I’ve started off this season with a couple already and if I can score a few more that can only help my international ambitions.

“My number one goal is to hold down a place in the Sunderland team and do well for them. If I do that, the England honours will come.

“I definitely feel that I have something to add – the moment I stop thinking that, I might as well stop playing football because the ambition will be gone. Hopefully, it will come with time.”

Bent freely admits he has been rejuvenated by his move to Sunderland and, finally enjoying his football again, feels he has the ideal platform to re-establish himself as an international footballer.

That is a view shared by Black Cats boss Steve Bruce who has plenty of faith in the club’s record signing despite two difficult years at White Hart Lane which wrecked

his confidence. Although Sunderland are still not regarded as one of the country’s more fashionable footballs clubs, Bent feels that is about to change with Bruce in charge and Ellis Short’s millions bankrolling the effort to force their way into the top eight in the Premier League.

Bent added: “It’s similar to when I was at Charlton – whenever the England manager came down there it was a big occasion for the English players in the team. When we played against Chelsea the other day, the manager whispered in my ear in the dressing room,

“You know the England managers here?

“He had a cheeky grin on his face. It was nice to see him hear, and if I keep playing well for Sunderland, hopefully he’ll want to come back again soon.”

Meanwhile, Sunderland’s assistant manager Eric Black insists they have plenty of cover at left-back despite the shock decision to allow Danny Collins to move to Stoke City last week.

George McCartney is expected to be missing for several weeks with a hamstring injury and the Wearsiders do not have a specialist left-back to deputise.

But Black said: “That’s the way it works. We’re disappointed to lose a player and that’s compounded when it’s in a position where we have less cover.

“But, having said that, we have plenty of players who can play in that position and now they will get the chance to prove they can do that again. We can move people around. We have five or six good defenders who have played in that area before and done very well.”