Bruce confident Darren Bent will make World Cup squad

Nov 6 2009 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

STEVE Bruce has revealed the signing of Darren Bent was his first priority when he became Sunderland manager as he thanked Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp for falling out with the striker.

The capture of Bent has been a remarkable coup for Bruce, who is confident his £10m signing can still force himself into Fabio Capello’s England squad before the end of the season.

And, as Bent prepares to return to the club that discarded him in the summer as the top English goalscorer in the Premier League, Bruce declared his move to the Stadium of Light had already proven his detractors wrong.

“I made a phone call to Harry within 24 hours of me getting the job,” said Bruce, who had also been interested in signing Peter Crouch before he elected to join Spurs.

“He was always on the agenda simply because of his goalscoring record. I wanted a centre forward who can score a goal and I think that is always the difference in the Premier League if you can get that.

“He has nothing to prove, he is a top striker who scores goals and I am sure with the goals he has scored he will want to play well, score a goal and win the match. That’s normal but I hope there is no bad blood. I think he will just let his football do the talking.

“Whether it was a personality clash with Redknapp and they didn’t get on, I don’t know. I am pleased they didn’t because it opened the door for us to sign him. I am not fully appraised of it all, what I do know is we have a very happy striker who wanted to come to Sunderland.”