Update on Bent- source SSN

[Virgil Caine]

Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish says England striker Darren Bent could be fit in time for Euro 2012 this summer.

Bent is on the mend after ankle surgery and the news he is recovering well will serve as a welcome boost for Roy Hodgson, who was named the new England boss on Tuesday.

Bent, 28, scored three of his four international goals during the Euro 2012 qualifiers but landed awkwardly on his ankle during a match against Wigan on 25 February and ruptured his ligaments, an injury which was expected to rule him out until next season.

But McLeish said: "I don't think there is a chance of him playing again for Villa this season but the doc thinks he's got a chance for the Euros, he's talking about four or five weeks.

"Darren's running and working individually with the physios. I'm not sure if he's at the level of striking a ball yet but he can't be far away from that now.

"The physios will be working on him to get him back to his peak fitness and we have to make sure he gets back good and proper.

"I said 'are you ready to go on the bench at the weekend or something?' and he said 'no, not quite, but I'm making good progress'."


Without wishing to start another anti McLeish tirade I found the last sentence interesting- surely he is kept up to date by the medical team on a players progress?

[damon loves JT]

He may be making clear he's exploring every possibility in order to field his strongest team. Not an entirely stupid thing to do.

[Risso]

Apparently not.  I just posted the full piece from the official site on the match thread.  In one breath he's asking "Benty" if he's fit to be a sub, the next he doesn't know if he's quite ready to kick a ball!

[Risso]

He may be making clear he's exploring every possibility in order to field his strongest team. Not an entirely stupid thing to do.

He makes it very clear that he has no idea just how fit or otherwise his star striker actually is.

[damon loves JT]

Maybe he's just not into making any rash predictions. Maybe Bent has been training with a ball, but he doesn't want to say so. I don't get this obsession with turning AM's every utterance into proof of his incompetence.

[Bad English]

When you are picking the team, most of our players can't strike a ball on the field so yes Alex, "Benty" might as well sit on the bench.

[Concrete John]

He may be making clear he's exploring every possibility in order to field his strongest team. Not an entirely stupid thing to do.

He makes it very clear that he has no idea just how fit or otherwise his star striker actually is.

There's plenty else to slag him off about without needing to read extra into off hand comments he makes.

[JUAN PABLO]

He would score more goals sitting on the bench with our present manager in charge .

[Risso]

Maybe he's just not into making any rash predictions. Maybe Bent has been training with a ball, but he doesn't want to say so. I don't get this obsession with turning AM's every utterance into proof of his incompetence.

Well call me old fashioned, but if I was teetering on the edge of both relegation and the tin tack, I'd be asking for an update on Bent's condition almost on an hourly basis.  I certainly wouldn't be completely oblivious to whether or not he'd started kicking a ball in anger or not.

[Risso]

He may be making clear he's exploring every possibility in order to field his strongest team. Not an entirely stupid thing to do.

He makes it very clear that he has no idea just how fit or otherwise his star striker actually is.

There's plenty else to slag him off about without needing to read extra into off hand comments he makes.

Hang on a second.  Our manager is still being paid a fortune, and yet he was too spineless to venture out of the dugout at he weekend, and this week he doesn't know the condition of arguably our best player.  If he doesn't want to appear incompetent, then best not to make stupid statements.

[damon loves JT]

Risso, our manager could rescue a child from the path of a speeding bus and you would find a reason to call him a spineless prick.

[Pete3206]

Risso, our manager could rescue a child from the path of a speeding bus and you would find a reason to call him a spineless prick.

What? He rescued a child from the path of a speeding bus? You'd think he'd spend less time being a super hero and more time on the training pitch. The spineless prick.

[Steve R]

... he doesn't know if he's quite ready to kick a ball!

I have the same problem with Hutton

[Matt C]

Odd comments but the main news there is he definitely isn't going to play for us again this season. Sod England.

[Concrete John]

Hang on a second.  Our manager is still being paid a fortune, and yet he was too spineless to venture out of the dugout at he weekend, and this week he doesn't know the condition of arguably our best player.  If he doesn't want to appear incompetent, then best not to make stupid statements.

I'm more concerned about results and performances than I am how he words a pretty pointless message about Darren Bent.