Source: SKY_Sports
Bruce - Bent is England class
// A bit of a hack but it works// The article snippet is wrapped onto a second line, even when #article-sub is emptyif( $("div#article-sub").children().length == 0 ) {$("div#article-sub").remove();} Sunderland boss Steve Bruce believes Darren Bent is capable of breaking into the England fold again.[LNB] The 25-year-old striker does have four international caps to his name, but has struggled to hold down a place in Fabio Capello's plans of late.[LNB]A bright start to the 2009/10 campaign will have brought him back to the Italian's attention, though, with Bent having notched in each of Sunderland's opening two games.[LNB]Competition for places in the England squad is fierce, with even Michael Owen unable to get a look-in, but Black Cats chief Bruce feels his man is capable of becoming a Three Lions regular.[LNB]He said: "He has had a wonderful start and he is English - and let's be fair now, there are not many English forwards now plying their trade in the Premier League.[LNB]"Where are they? There are about four or five - there are probably more than that - realistic ones, so if he keeps scoring a goal...[LNB]"And it is not just scoring a goal he has done well with, but his contribution to the team. He has been very influential.[LNB]"He works extremely hard and he is playing with a smile on his face, which is there for everybody to see, so I am obviously delighted about that."[LNB]RidiculousMeanwhile, Bruce has joined the ongoing debate regarding fixture scheduling, with Sunderland currently in the midst of a run which has brought four games in 10 days.[LNB]He said: "Ten months we play and we have got to play 38 games - surely to goodness we can restructure so we do not have to play three Premier League games in a week having played an international before you play three games in a week, and then play a cup-tie on a Monday night?[LNB]"That doesn't make sense, does it? It's totally ridiculous to ask a footballer who is just starting the season - and we wonder why we have got knocks and bumps and bruises and strains.[LNB]"They just haven't got time to recover. That's my gripe about it, that there are other teams, like Blackburn, who have not played in midweek.[LNB]"How can that be right?"[LNB]
