Following the resignation of Fabio Capello from the role of England manager, the favourite to take the position is Tottenham Hotspur’s current manager, Harry Redknapp. For many England fans, the choice of Redknapp may well cultivate a spirit of optimism, but it is highly likely that the same optimism won’t be shared by Darren Bent.

Redknapp, in one of his interviews whilst Bent was under him at Tottenham, said that his wife Sandra could have scored some of the chances that Bent had either eschewed or been unable to finish. It was probably less than a coincidence following Redknapp’s outburst that a few months later, Bent made his exit up to the Stadium of Light to play for Sunderland.

Since Bent’s time at Tottenham, he has established himself as one of the Premier League’s top strikers, with a goal ratio approaching one in two. Such a statistic was invariably one of the main reasons Aston Villa looked at the London-born striker as a solution to their worries last season. Under Gerard Houllier, Villa were firmly in the mix at the wrong end of the table, and Bent’s goals formed part of the reason why we escaped the dreaded drop back then.

This season, Bent is again our top scorer, although I have to agree with Harry for once and say perhaps his wife could have scored some of the chances Darren has failed to finish. Bent may well have a reputation for clinical finishing, but there have been some glaring misses this season, some of which have cost us points and games.

Bent Under Redknapp Again? Don’t Expect Miracles

Getting back to Redknapp and England, surely if Harry does manage to get the England job, and it wouldn’t be the biggest surprise in the world if he does, then Bent should still consider himself a candidate for the striking role. Yes, Redknapp and Bent’s relationship was fractious at Tottenham, but few can doubt Bent’s performances, and thus improved stature, as a striker, have proven Bent a capable number nine.

Bent has already played for England under Capello, so his inclusion would be far from a shock, despite the fact that he failed to make the cut for the 2012 World Cup squad.

Two years on from then, who would be brave enough to leave Bent out of the England squad for the European Championships? However, even with his pedigree being established nowadays, Bent will realise he has to continue to score goals to get on the plane to Poland and the Ukraine.

For me personally, Bent has to go to the European Championships, partly because of his scoring record, and partly because Wayne Rooney is scheduled to miss the first few games.

The question is – what do you think? Is Bent good enough?

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