Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has declared himself "over the moon" for Darren Bent after he was called up to the England squad to face Brazil.
Bruce signed Bent in a club-record £10million deal from Tottenham over the summer and the 25-year-old has made an immediate impact with eight goals in the Premier League.
Bruce is delighted Bent's achievement in being the top-scoring Englishman in the top flight has finally been recognised by Fabio Capello.
He told the club's official website: "Darren is a top lad with an immaculate work-rate on and off the pitch and it's a testament to his record and attitude that Mr Capello has decided to add him to the squad.
"If you look at the number and type of goals he's scored this season, it shows what a well-rounded player he is.
"When we first signed him, I was amazed at his natural ability in front of goal and said to myself 'this lad's going to be a top player for this club, that's for sure'."
Bent was expected to be called-up for the recent World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine and Croatia but was overlooked with Capello instead plumping for the less prolific Emile Heskey, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Carlton Cole.
Bruce has revealed the snub never affected Bent's performances.
"The fact he's kept going after not making other squads shows the type of lad he is - I'm absolutely over the moon for him."


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Your Comments
parkerfc (Sunderland fan)
""sofaking, Tottenham Hotspur fan.
Posted 09/11/2009 @ 15:28 View all sofaking's posts
SeaburnSAFC (Sunderland fan), I won't even comment on how ridiculously wrong your statement is on all levels. Bent is an average player who is far away from being international class. A bit like Marcus Stewart."
Yet he was still spurs leading goal scorer last season
"
alfried1983 (Tottenham Hotspur fan)
"SeaburnSAFC (Sunderland fan)never gave him a chance. your kidding right? first season. 36 appearances, a massive 8 goals. second season 43 appearances 17 goals. in 2 seasons he had 79 appearances and scored just 25 goals (alot of those goals comming against weaker oppo) now for 16 mill you want a better return of your strikers. we gave him a chance i think 79 apps in 2 years is a good crack of the whip dont you? and the fans got behind him they gave him a chance but you could see in the fist season he wasnt with it. Bent serves well as being the big fish in a small pond. he needs to play for a team that rely on him and will give him the ball everytime, regretfully at spurs there was too much compotion and instead of getting on with it. he sulked and moaned. so forgive me if i dont bow down and kiss his feet. but to suggest he didnt get a chance in his 2 seasons at spurs is ludacrous."
dutch28 (Sunderland fan)
"'Sofaking' I understand he may not be the greatest footballer on the planet but he's a striker and he scores goals, and if i remember he was your top scorer last year and i bet he got the least time on the pitch. Obviously Sunderland fans will back him all the way as he's our player now, just seems no Spurs fans give him any credit at all and I dont understand why, he didnt do a lot wrong. Oh and are you seriously suggesting Nugent, A. Johnson, Campbell (who cant get a game cos of Bent), Hines (who will be very good) and Heskey all deserve to be ahead of him????? That is seriously, and even joking aside, absolutely the worst thing I've ever heard"
sofaking (Tottenham Hotspur fan)
"We don't have negative attitudes. He just wasn't good enough to be a Spurs player and he knew it too. I'm sure he'll perform well at a small club with lower expectations. Also, he tends to have an opinion on everything. Hope he does well this season as he's on my fantasy football team but there's no chance he'll go to the World Cup if all strikers are fit. (Rooney, Defoe, C. Cole, Heskey, Crouch, Agbonlahor, Owen, A. Johnson, Nugent, F. Campbell, Z Hines etc). "
SeaburnSAFC (Sunderland fan)
"To all the Spurs fans with negative attitudes.You never gave the lad a chance - support should mean just that and thats what Sunderland fans give in abundance. If you didn`t have such chips on your shoulders maybe you could one day compete with the big boys. Anyway Darren we are behind you 100% chin up for the next game!"
sofaking (Tottenham Hotspur fan)
"How come there's very little being said about his outrageous dive on Saturday? Is it because he is English?"
alfried1983 (Tottenham Hotspur fan)
"SeaburnSAFC (Sunderland fan) good point well made. he didnt win any caps at spurs. or did he? numpty!!!"
Scatch21 (Sunderland fan)
"Spurswest is this the same bent your talking about that has scored against Chelsea man utd and liverpool so far this season!?can't play against the decent teams hmmm I see what u mean"
sofaking (Tottenham Hotspur fan)
"SeaburnSAFC (Sunderland fan), I won't even comment on how ridiculously wrong your statement is on all levels. Bent is an average player who is far away from being international class. A bit like Marcus Stewart. "
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