Source: Telegraph
Spurs manager Harry Redknapp diplomatic about facing Sunderland's Darren Bent
The Tottenham Hotspur manager famously criticised Bent during his time at White Hart Lane, but will hope his passing remark, that his wife could have converted a chance Bent had wasted, will not come back to haunt him. [LNB]Tottenham go to the Stadium of Light on Saturday bidding for a sixth straight Premier League victory for the first time. And it would in fact, be the first time they have won six in succession for 20 years, when Spurs under Terry Venables finished third. [LNB] Related ArticlesTottenham Hotspur v Portsmouth: match previewTitle run-in: key clashesDefoe set for Spurs returnDawson recovery boosts SpursKranjcar: Spurs success will attract starsSport on televisionBut Bent will relish the chance to halt Spurs' crusade to finish in fourth place, particularly after scoring 21 goals so far this season 20 of them in the Premier League to make Sunderland a difficult side to beat. [LNB]"He has had a terrific season," admitted Redknapp, adding: "Good luck to him. I thought that Darren would score his share of goals." [LNB]But in attempting to explain why he saw Bent as surplus to requirements, he added: "I was OK, I had [Jermain] Defoe and he has scored goals for us."[LNB]And there remains the belief that Redknapp was unconvinced by Bent's talents after inheriting the striker on his arrival at White Hart Lane. [LNB]Bent had scored three of Spurs' six Premier League goals that season before Redknapp replaced Juande Ramos in October of 2008. He was immediately dropped to the bench for Redknapp's first two games and came on to score in both. [LNB]He regained his place and despite being troubled by niggling injuries, continued in good scoring form apart from that fateful day in January 2009 when, after coming on as a first-half substitute, he wasted a chance to secure a valuable win against Portsmouth. [LNB]After the game a frustrated Redknapp said: "It was a great chance. You are not going to get a better one than that to win a game. It was game over and we were going home with three points, as simple as that. [LNB]"My missus could have scored that. David James had given up on it. He had turned his back and was getting ready to pick the ball out of the net. He did not just have a bit to aim at, he had the whole goal to aim at. What can you do?"[LNB]Bent was said to be hurt by the comments and when the teams met for the first time since his £10 million summer transfer last November, Redknapp claimed his infamous "missus" blast only reflected what thousands of TV viewers had been thinking. [LNB]''It's not something to worry about, no. When I said it and it showed me on TV sating it I said 'Bloody hell, a woman could have scored that'," Redknapp said. [LNB]"It wasn't just because it was Darren Bent. It could have been anyone. There were probably four million blokes sitting watching TV that night and when they saw that thought, 'Cor blimey, a woman would have scored that'. But I have no problem with Darren Bent."[LNB]Maybe, though, the comments were still bothering Bent; Spurs won the game 2-0 and the striker missed a penalty. [LNB]Roman Pavlyuchenko, in form at present but not always Redknapp's first choice, may be wondering whether Redknapp's wife, Sandra, is a better finisher than he is... [LNB]
