Source: Northern_Echo
Bruce backs Bent to impress England boss
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce hailed Darren Bent after the striker was named in England's 30-man squad ahead of next month's World Cup Finals. "The call-up is Darren's reward for an excellent first season for us. What Darren has done for Sunderland this season is nothing short of fantastic - you can't argue with a return of 25 goals," said the Wearsiders' boss. "He has all the attributes needed to make a big impact on the international stage. Darren's finishing ability is exceptional and that's a key asset when you're playing on a big stage like the World Cup." "Hopefully he can impress Mr Capello and earn a place in the full squad. We're all rooting for him." Bent has five full international caps and finished as the second-highest English goal scorer in the Premier League last season with Wayne Rooney scoring just two more league goals. Fabio Capello's side will now play Mexico in an international friendly at Wembley on Monday May 24 before travelling to Austria to face Japan in a final World Cup warm-up match on Sunday May 30. England's final 23-man squad will be announced on Tuesday June 1 ahead of the nation's opening World Cup fixture against the USA on June 12.