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Bentley - We owe the fans

Midfielder determined to reach World Cup finals

Last updated: 5th September 2008

Bentley: Eager to do well

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David Bentley is confident the England players are 'up for the challenge' of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup.

England's bid to reach the finals in South Africa begins on Saturday with a seemingly routine game against Andorra.

But, during the doomed qualification campaign for Euro 2008, England toiled to beat Andorra away from home and were booed by their own supporters.

Bentley concedes the team owe the fans for missing out on the European Championship after admitting he was 'gutted' not to be involved in Austria and Switzerland.

Right manager

"We owe the country, don't we?," said Bentley.

"It was not nice missing out on it in the summer and it would be nice to put that right.

"I was gutted that we were not there with the players that we have.

"If we put our minds to it, we can succeed. We have the right manager now to steer us in the right direction, hopefully to get the best out of every one of us.

"It is going to be difficult, but I think that we are all up for the challenge."