England News

• Nickname:Three Lions
• Founded: 1872
• Manager:Roy Hodgson

• Ground:Wembley Stadium
• Capacity:90,000

Disappointment for Bent

08 May 2006 - 16:01:15

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Charlton Athletic striker Darren Bent was desperately disappointed to be left out of Sven-Goran Eriksson's World Cup squad after finishing the season as the leading English goalscorer in the Premiership.

Eriksson named injured duo Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen, together with Peter Crouch and the uncapped Theo Walcott as his four strikers for Germany 2006.

Bent's misery was completed when he didn't even make the standby list for the squad, with the coach instead opting for Andy Johnson of Championship side Crystal Palace and Tottenham's Jermain Defoe.

In a statement issued by his agents, Stellar Group, the 22-year-old said: "I am obviously really disappointed.

"I wasn't taking anything for granted and knew that it was by no means certain that I would be included, but being the leading English goalscorer in the Premiership I was very hopeful of being included.

"All I can do now is go away on holiday, recharge my batteries and look forward to next season."