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Bitter Darren Bent claims 'there is a lot of politics at Tottenham'
Simon Johnson and Andrew Fifield6 Aug 2009
Darren Bent fired a parting shot at Tottenham today but didn't resort to swearing to get his message across this time.
The new Sunderland striker is delighted to have ended his two-year stay at Spurs, which culminated in a fine of two weeks wages after he spelled out his frustration over delays in the £10million move on his Twitter page.
The England international now believes his expletive-filled rant paid off and said: "In the long run it seems like it has done but at the same time I was disappointed at the way it came out.
"Normally we tend to keep our mouths shut and everybody does the talking around us. I just wanted to come to Sunderland. I am delighted to be here and I can't wait to move forward."
Bent was Spurs' top scorer last season with 17 goals but was not a first choice for Harry Redknapp, who blasted the striker for missing a simple chance against Portsmouth in January, insisting his wife would have scored it.
The 25-year-old claims he has already noticed the atmosphere at his new club is better than at his old one.
Bent said: "There is a lot of politics at Tottenham, but that's Tottenham as a club. I'm a Sunderland player now and it seems a lot more relaxed here.
"I want to get back to enjoying my football, I've had to grow up a lot in the last two years as a footballer and a person and I'm raring to go this season.
"I think Steve Bruce is a fantastic manager, when I knew he was interested in me it just helped the drive for the move to come about."
Redknapp dismissed Bent's criticisms of the club. The manager said: "I don't think he needs to be critical of the boardroom at Tottenham.
"He doesn't need to get involved - it's none of his business and I don't think he knows what happens in the boardroom here anyway.
"Darren is a good player and I had no problems with him while he was here. He's got his big move now and he just has to move on."
The total cost of the transfer could rise to £16.5m, the same price Spurs paid Charlton for him in 2006.
The extra payments depend on whether he scores more than 10 goals each season of his four-year contract, whether they win trophies or qualify for Europe as well as England caps.
Spurs are on the verge of reinvesting the money straight away as they are understood to have agreed an £8m fee with Newcastle for defender Sebastien Bassong.
Redknapp is desperate to strengthen his backline due to injuries to Ledley King, Jonathan Woodgate and Michael Dawson.
The boss said: "The chairman is talking to Newcastle so it's in his hands. But we're hopeful - he's a player we like, he's young and has a good future in the game. If he says we have him, then I'll be delighted."
Bassong, 19, still has a two-game suspension carried over from last season to be served, so the club may wait till after Newcastle's opening match in the Championship against West Brom on Saturday to conclude the deal in order to get one of them out of the way.
The Cameroon international says he is leaving Newcastle in order to keep his World Cup dreams alive. He said: "It was not good for my career to be at a Championship club.
"I want to play in future World Cups and African Cup with Cameroon. That is made more difficult if you are not playing at the higher level."
New Spurs striker Peter Crouch believes that the club have the potential to push for a Champions League place.
The £9m signing from Portsmouth said today: "I believe this club is going forward and if anyone has the potential to break into the top four we have. This was the biggest club I spoke to and the one that is moving forward."
Redknapp has lost out on Klaas Jan Huntelaar after Real Madrid agreed to sell the striker to AC Milan for a fee, thought to be £13m.
Reader views (26)
Darren was always a bit too casual, made him look like a lazy player. Just wish he would leave with dignity, instead of mouthing off about the people who paid him! I wonder if Darren is the reason Twitter is down?
- Ian - Always A Yid, Melbourne Australia, 09/08/2009 02:17
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I'm sorry for Tottenham; They're looking like the 'Newcastle' of this season...
- Kanmi, London, 09/08/2009 00:57
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Now Bent has gone its a choice of goalscorer supreme Sanda Rednapp or Peter Crouch up front. I have a sneaking suspicion Sandra is really Crouchy in his TV gear!
- Billy Bent, Sandbanks, 07/08/2009 11:28
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Yeah that's right Muzzi, that proves you're a top four club without any shadow of a doubt.
He was at Portsmouth for crying out loud.
What all of you completely fail to understand is you now have a target man off whom Defoe can work. You didn't, and now you do, and Crouch, whilst not my cup of tea at all (I can't blame you for not being over the moon about it) will make goals for Defoe at the least, whilst also chipping in with a decent return himself.
Continually moaning about Huntelaar (who you all wished to have signed but how many have actually seen the guy play, seriously?) just makes you look even more daft. Arry has sold someone you didn't like, got someone in to improve the forward line, and had enough change for a defender, something you've been crying out for.
Oh, and cracking post Clif, spot on.
- Stu, Beckton, 07/08/2009 09:07
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Captain - I have a feeling that Sunderland may indeed score more than Tottenham, both in terms of goals & points.
- Rob Hotspurs, South London, 07/08/2009 08:37
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whats with the rumour that spurs have placed a 40m offer for malbranque,tannio and bent, apparantly they think they are that good they should never have left in the first place.
- Peter Hopper, murton england, 06/08/2009 23:26
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It just doesn't make sense, he was your top scorer yet you want rid. To ridicule him and my club like you do smacks of immaturity, remember it's not that long ago you lot were floundering near the bottom of the league. He's joining a club that is slowly adjusting to life in the premier league again, and in Steve Bruce, we have a manager who will do well at SAFC, he's a North-East lad and commands a lot of respect in the game. Meanwhile Harry comes across as the dodgy backstreet 2nd hand car dealer who is rapidly becoming a bit of a joke figure. The way Spurs have conducted themselves over this deal is embarassing - in my eyes £10M is about right for DB, I agree £16.5M is OTT but we will only end up paying that if he and SAFC are a big success. After all, you lot paid as much for him 2 yrs ago when prices weren't so inflated - what does that say about you lot?? Roll on the Sunderland v Spurs games, should be interesting!
- Ian G, South Shields, UK, 06/08/2009 23:07
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Do you reckon we could also sign Sandra, apparently she's got a better head on her than Bent and I reckon Harry needs the money to resign Hoddle?
- Andy, Sunderland, England, 06/08/2009 21:16
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Sunderland are on the up.
How is Redknapp going to accommodate the 4 strikers he has now? Fair play to Bent branching out and giving it a go , much better than the likes of Defoe who in his last spell at spurs was happy to sit on the bench and take the cash
- Dave, Enfield Lock, 06/08/2009 21:15
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Crouchy said we was the biggest club he talked to..nuff said
- Muzzi, london, 06/08/2009 18:58
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Somewhere between the Spurs Mangagers, Burtenshaw, Pleat, Pleat, Pleat & Sons and Pleat and Dad,Graham, Hoddle, Boff, Goff, Doff and Duff & Gross I lost track.. I lost track of the ins and outs of players, I am sure Jol had 4 or 5 first teams on the go with all the players he bought. I saw successive ' potential' wasted as it appears a 'couple of fancy players' to keep the fans entertained was good enough. Nothing was built upon and the worst is that a ' dodgy defence was 'acceptable' Dawson I ask you ..chuck him a Mars bar and while hes busy go straight past him !.
So here we go again, another season, but now the inports are 2nd class and the defence is 3rd class and I am expected to have hope...what in ' Prayer ??'.
Another Newcastle is more like Spurs story for this year fighting relegation rather than for honours.
I know Harry learnt his trade from the bunch of 'Steptoe & Sons ' down at Upton Park but at least their old Horse would be better in defence than the lame ducks we have now and are trying to buy.
WHEN the top 4 = 6 clubs split to form the Euro taking all the prime TV money with them Spurs will rule the day they did not invest big and bring in someone capable of Winning the Leauge and persuading top players to come to the club
Sorry but Spurs are now and have been for years a mid table club.
- Clif, London, 06/08/2009 18:41
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Average player, even worse as a man enjoy this season cause it's down to the championship where you both belong
- Matt, Deal, 06/08/2009 18:23
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spurs sold and bought back robbie and defoe they also had crouch on their books does that mean bent will be coming back
- J Windsor, LONDON ENGLAND, 06/08/2009 17:26
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You're going to work hard are you Darren?
First time for everything I suppose.
- Don Shittle, Braintree, Essex, 06/08/2009 16:40
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Rob, he may score more goals than Crouch but will Sunderland score more than Tottenham - that's the only point here?
- Captain Black Of The Mysterons, London, England, 06/08/2009 16:30
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Bent will score loads of goals for Sunderland.... in the Championship next season when they are relegated.
- Alex, St Albans, England, 06/08/2009 16:21
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Rob hotspurs, are you having a laugh!?
are you an arsenal fan?
- Tone, Dagenham, 06/08/2009 16:04
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he was a waste of money , at least we getting most of it back..well done levy.
- Muzzi, london, 06/08/2009 15:50
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Making a cheap parting shot is just a way of covering his backside over the twits twitter gaffe and being fined £100,000 - rightly so in my eyes and should have been more
I don’t see the more important players at the club moaning about the board who payout for their substantial salaries, perhaps because they have better talent and are prepared to dig in hard to earn their place in the squad and not expect it by right and moan when they miss the goal from 10cm out
If he is delighted and relieved to be joining Sunderland then it shows the height of his ambition and as for his England days for what they were worth are now over
If Sunderland are prepared to pay up to £16.5million then they must be getting the same disease as Newcatle in buying over rated players for ridiculous fees
- Sd, WICKFORD, 06/08/2009 15:20
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Bent never did it for most Spurs fans. It isn't sour grapes - he isn't good enough.
Harry knew the score, even if his slip of the tongue upset the new men and the pc brigade.
Best of luck, Benty, you'll need it mate!
- Ted, London, 06/08/2009 12:34
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Very decent forward, will always score goals, but an absolute shambles of a man. Took the medical, agreed the deal, shook the hands, then decided he wanted to join Big Club (tm) and walked away. Cries like a baby about the Sunderland move and now it's all about feeling "wanted".
Grow up Darren.
- Stu, Beckton, 06/08/2009 12:30
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OK so he's the more sensitive sort. Tottenham are not a sensitive set-up, so that make Bent play weaker than he might.
Therefore, if Bruce/ Sunderland can boost his ego - he'll be a steal - he'll start smashing in the goals.
Whatever you say though, price is full, not cheap at very least.
Welcome Darren - just make us proud boy!
- Alex, London, 06/08/2009 12:19
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I would like to wish Darren Bent good luck at his new club & thank him for the goals he scored. I have had a bet at a local bookies that Darren scores more goals at Sunderland, than Crouch does for us!
- Rob Hotspurs, South London, 06/08/2009 12:18
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James, he can get paid tens of thousands per week anywhere, so why not go somewhere you are wanted and not remain where your manager ridicules you in the media. Your comment is that of a bitter man - pathetic!
- Max, Sunderland, 06/08/2009 10:27
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Oh poor Darren,did he want a cuddle every day to say he was ok and part of the plans..in all honesty any true Spurs fan knew he wasn`t good enough,his style of play was too one dimensional and his first touch was poor,never really good enough to replace Berba..even though his stats were ok,he did blow an awful amount of chances..not sorry too see him depart.
- Evs, north london, 06/08/2009 10:00
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He gets paid however many tens of thousand pounds a week but its not enough, because he didn't feel wanted. Ha, how pathetic!
- James, London, Maida Vale, 06/08/2009 09:08
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