[Archived] Bentley Called Up

[Uddersfelt Blue]

Personally I believe Bentley has made a mistake in pulling out of this tournament but he clearly feels strongly about not playing and has made a brave decision which he may come to regret.

I suspect this all stems from the recall of Golden Boy Beckham who has effectively now blocked Bentley's immediate progression into the right midfield slot.

Mclaren or any future manager (only a matter of time ) would be very foolish to hold it against Bentley and disregard him for the senior squad. Just as the fans should not hold it against MClaren for ditching Beckham. However the suits at the FA may have different views.

[Alan75]

Gerrard Exhausted As Well.

[thenodrog]

He's injured!

right.

In a similar vein to this subject I rem Woy Hodgson and Eire seriously overplaying Duff in his first proper season. It took him a season to get over it too.

[LeChuck]

right.

He missed the run-in to Arsenal's season after having a shoulder operation.

At least check your facts if you're going to be needlessly cynical.

[mrsjansen]

Is he not 22? Why was he in the Under 21 squad again then? I dont understand it.

And honestly as selfish as it sounds, id rather see Bentley perform week in week out for Rovers, then wonder around the pitch mid season tired and unable to give his all.

I just hope tho, that Steve Mclaren doesnt hold iot against him and doesnt pick him again. He doesnt seem to ahve any backbone Mclaren and will probably listen to the press and whats being told, rather than follow his inctincts.

[LeChuck]

There's just been a nice little clip of Pearce on Sky Sports which sounds far less angry than what was reported in written press. He basically said:

"If he goes and has a fantastic season next year and makes the full squad for Euro 2008 then next time he bumps into me he can say 'I was right'".

He did then ramble on about how he'd reply they were both right, something about Bentley being right for his personal gain and Pearce being right for trying to have his strongest squad, he didn't word that bit terrificly well though.

Still, there didn't appear to be the resentment that was coming over in other reports.

Edit: Having said that, Merson is now saying what a stupid decision it was and that he'll have to have an absolutely outstanding season to have any chance of playing in the full squad. Peter Taylor isn't impressed either. Bentley has made a huge cock-up by the sound of it, there isn't one person involved with football that has said it was definitely the right decision for his career.

Another edit: Apparently the U21 squad themselves feel Bentley has let them down and dropped them in it by dropping out of the squad at the last minute. I hope any resentment doesn't carry over to Derbyshire.

Edited June 10, 2007 by LeChuck

[92er]

There's just been a nice little clip of Pearce on Sky Sports which sounds far less angry than what was reported in written press. He basically said:

"If he goes and has a fantastic season next year and makes the full squad for Euro 2008 then next time he bumps into me he can say 'I was right'".

Edit: Having said that, Merson is now saying what a stupid decision it was and that he'll have to have an absolutely outstanding season to have any chance of playing in the full squad. Peter Taylor isn't impressed either. Bentley has made a huge cock-up by the sound of it, there isn't one person involved with football that has said it was definitely the right decision for his career.

It's not surprising that Taylor was critical as I am pretty sure Taylor had dropped him from the squad when he was manager. It was Pearce who recalled him.

[gumboots]

You're right Taylor did drop him. I'm getting tired of all the things being said against David now. Seems like the world and his wife want to knock him. In the end it's his decision: he made it after consulting a number of people and didn't do it lightly. He admits himself it's a 50-50 decision but in the end he's shattered and you run far more risk of injury if you're tired than if you're fresh. Who's to say he wouldn't have got a serious injury if he'd played and missed all but the first game or something. It would be too late for a sub to be brought into the squad and have any real impact, and we'd be without him next season. I just hope that all the revolting things that have been said by other fans don't stop him playing out of his skin for Rovers next season.

[Manchester Blue]

Edit: Having said that, Merson is now saying what a stupid decision it was and that he'll have to have an absolutely outstanding season to have any chance of playing in the full squad. Peter Taylor isn't impressed either. Bentley has made a huge cock-up by the sound of it, there isn't one person involved with football that has said it was definitely the right decision for his career.

Another edit: Apparently the U21 squad themselves feel Bentley has let them down and dropped them in it by dropping out of the squad at the last minute. I hope any resentment doesn't carry over to Derbyshire.

Well he stated he had spoke with people in the full squad who advised him he would be better off pulling out. Now unless you're suggesting he's a liar i'd say you're taking this attempt to be 'the voice of reason' thing a bit too far.

[USABlue]

Bents now public enemy number one.

Can't help but think that its only because he plays for dirty little blackburn rovers.

I do believe there is some truth to that statement. I am sure if it was one of the big boys "stars" it would have been smoothed over a lot better and with some commitment, you'd have medical experts on backing the players claims and all that. Yeah I think there is something to it being us. I have not heard much furor regarding Abgonlewalkabout who plays for Villa. Did Martin O'Neill not make similar claims of fatigue? how many games has that lad played?

[tcj_jones]

And another thing, the more I learn about David Bentley, the more he comes across as a decent guy.

He seems a relatively intelligent lad as well judging by his comments to the media.

I really like Bentley. You never hear him spouting out in the media, or complaining about the way he was treated at Arsenal. He is an honest player, not in the slightest bit dirty and always gives his all. I don't understand how he has gained a bad reputation.

Compare this with the likes of bloody Fabregas who cheats his way through the season and is on the Sky Sports web page every bloody week spouting some nonsense!

[thenodrog]

Edit: Having said that, Merson is now saying what a stupid decision it was and that he'll have to have an absolutely outstanding season to have any chance of playing in the full squad.

Merson.... Hardly the man to influence and / or castigate any professional footballer is he?

[waggy]

just back from international duty myself,bentley is a fool,he can kiss his england career goodbye before it started

[thenodrog]

he can kiss his england career goodbye before it started

For which we are truly thankfull.

[Silencio]

I do believe there is some truth to that statement. I am sure if it was one of the big boys "stars" it would have been smoothed over a lot better and with some commitment, you'd have medical experts on backing the players claims and all that. Yeah I think there is something to it being us. I have not heard much furor regarding Abgonlewalkabout who plays for Villa. Did Martin O'Neill not make similar claims of fatigue? how many games has that lad played?

i think Agbonlahot played every minute of every game last season...

[Billy Castell]

I hope he doesn't play for England. Who'd want to play for a dead country full of socially inept drunks who have the intellectual capacity of a wheelie bin? F_ck England, Rovers is all I care about, and if Bentley blazes through next season, and McClown pick J-Anus and Dire ahead of him, he'll lose his job after another failed tournament. Then we can all laugh..............especially when McClown is replaced by Alan Pardew or Stan Ternant.

Bentley is too good for England, the media and the mass of drooling twerps who support the two of them.

[Silencio]

I hope he doesn't play for England. Who'd want to play for a dead country full of socially inept drunks who have the intellectual capacity of a wheelie bin? F_ck England, Rovers is all I care about, and if Bentley blazes through next season, and McClown pick J-Anus and Dire ahead of him, he'll lose his job after another failed tournament. Then we can all laugh..............especially when McClown is replaced by Alan Pardew or Stan Ternant.

Bentley is too good for England, the media and the mass of drooling twerps who support the two of them.

I agree, couldn't give a toss about England....

[robborover]

I agree, couldn't give a toss about England....

Yep, i agree too.

If bentley is fitter/less tired for not playing teenagers all summer then fair enough. Besides, does anyone think that McClown would pick someone like Bentley? We all know that he has been the most consistent English RM in the league, but he's not exactly fashionable. Even if he set the U21 tournament alight, he would still never make the full squad because of the spanners that run it. They'd rather play SWP because he watches the mighty Chelski each week or Stuart (never done anything exciting in my football career) Downing. In anyones opinion he's at least deserving of a squad place.

Pros - Bentley is fit(ter) for the Intertoto Cup.

Cons - Rovers and Bentley are disliked a little more (makes no difference anyway with Sav etc..!).

PS: does anyone think it's bonkers that a 22/23 year old can play in an U21 tournament???

[waggy]

PS: does anyone think it's bonkers that a 22/23 year old can play in an U21 tournament???

IT'S because he was off age when the tournament started,i think bentley has made the 2nd biggest mistake off his career,1st leaving highbury,he is being foolish playing for your country is a hounour,burn out my arse

[Drunx2002]

I was hearing your argument until you lapsed into stereotypical England football fan chauvinism. These Czech and Serbian youngsters may not be household names (who's this Petr Cech who was in goal for the Czechs last time) but if you watch them play, I assure you that they will display as good - if not greater technical ability than England.

Youth international tournaments ARE important. Englands U19s haven't qualified for that age group's tournament this summer. We consider ourselves a strong football nation but our success at these levels is crap - in want of a better word. WHY should we expect England seniors to win anything when they couldn't do so as U21s or U19s, U18s etc. etc.?

How can I be lapsing into stereotypical England Football Fan chauvinism rover6 when I already stated that I the tournament doesn't bother me at all. My point wasn't to the detriment of the Czech and Serbian youngsters but was pointing out that if DB is playing against people Like Ashley Cole, Riise, Heinze every week he isn't going to learn anything new about himself playing against a 22yr old left back from OFK Beograd.

[OJRovers]

Even if Bentley has upset McClaren enough to freeze him out - its unlikely that McClaren will be in his job for any longer than 12 months anyway and Stuart Pearce will leave as soon as anyone will take him.

[Neil Weaver]

burn out my arse

Must have been that vindaloo waggy.

Couple of thoughts (apols to others that have mentioned something similar)..........

1 - lesson number one : Pearce and McClown should talk to each other. If McC had given Bentley an easy time rather than taking him on a fruitless trip to Estonia etc then maybe he wouldn't have withdrawn from the U21s.

2 - lesson number two : doesn't matter how much you're paid, a body takes time to recover. I used to be a reasonable club athlete and could go out and train for a few miles every day no problem. Do a race where you push yourself hard (couple of miles or ten miles, whatever) and you need at least a few days to recover before you can repeat. Keep that up for a few months and you need a decent rest or else you'll do some serious damage (frinstance I got a stress fracture that stopped me running for a couple of months). Get paid 50 quid or 50 grand a week it doesn't matter.

[adopted scouser]

bentley has made the 2nd biggest mistake off his career,1st leaving highbury

So you wish he'd stayed at Highbury ?

burn out my arse

I think you'll find he blew out the Arse - and thank god for Blackburn Rovers he did. The England team are overrated tossers coached by a bloke who turned out to be second choice anyway, and has a fringe, then a gap, then hair.

[waggy]

i'm very happy bentley plays for us,but he is good enough to play for the arse,and a bit off paitence would have seen him in the 1st team.as for the 2nd quote

[robborover]

i think bentley has made the 2nd biggest mistake off his career,1st leaving highbury

because sitting on the bench watching lungberg, pires then hleb is a good career move???

burn out my arse

and playing in a tournament will help his fatigue??? surely every rover is a little glad he's not playing. now we only have to hope that derbyshire doesn't get injured!