The Bent truths of carping Harry

May 2 2010 by Neil Farrington, Sunday Sun

I WOULD blame Harry Redknapp. But I reckon I’d be on my own.

Blame him for what? No, not Portsmouth’s Greek-style debt mountain or Southampton’s fall from grace.

Not even for any damage done to football’s image – such as it is – by an ongoing brush with the criminal courts.

Innocent until proven guilty, after all.

No, it’s the prospect of Darren Bent being passed over for England’s World Cup squad that I would hold against Redknapp.

Passed over, that is, for any two of three players who have scored less Premier League goals combined than Bent this season.

There’s Carlton “My First Touch is a Pass” Cole, with nine (but none in 11 games) going into this weekend.

We have Emile “No Start for Five Weeks” Heskey, with six (but only one this year).

And who can forget Bobby “Rubbish Until This Season” Zamora, with eight. Yes, eight.

When it comes to picking someone to join messrs Rooney, Crouch and Defoe in South Africa, Fabio Capello’s choice seems to be one lump or two.

Bent, lest we forget, boasts 24 goals in 36 league outings for Sunderland. That’s almost two-and-a-half times what Zamora has managed in 59 starts for Fulham, and only one less than Cole has mustered during almost four years at West Ham.

But so much for this season’s maths. For Redknapp’s part in Bent’s all-too-probable hard luck story was performed well over a year ago.

Trouble is, Harry played such a blinder that the episode is endlessly repeated in media minds.

The London tabloids would have you believe Redknapp is a harmless and hilarious throwback to the old school of straight-talking managers; a breath of fresh air in a world of stale soundbites.