Skip to content

Bentley offered 'clean slate'

Image: David Bentley: Has struggled to produce his best since signing for Totteham in 2008

David Bentley is hoping to make the most a change in manager at Tottenham, with the winger determined to avoid becoming a forgotten man.

Spurs winger determined to recapture his form of old

David Bentley is hoping to make the most a change in manager at Tottenham, with the winger determined to avoid becoming a forgotten man. Bentley had the world at his feet when he arrived at White Hart Lane in 2008, with a big-money move rewarding his rise to England international and proven Premier League performer. Things started to unravel quickly in the capital, though, with the arrival of Harry Redknapp and a succession of injuries preventing a man billed as 'the new David Beckham' from showing his true colours. Having slipped down the pecking order, Bentley has struggled to clamber back up the selection ladder. He has, however, been offered a fresh start by new Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas and is desperate to show that he can still do the business at a top club.

Attitude

"With the new manager, the new era, the new training ground, hopefully I can be a new player, with a new attitude and a new way of doing things," Bentley told The People. "I've already spoken to the manager and he just said, 'You've got a clean slate, so do what you can do and try to impress. "This is a chance for me to get back on the good wave now and, if I can be a part of it, that'd be great." Bentley admits some of his problems have been of his own making, but he also feels as though luck has been against him at times. He said: "A lot of people will say I've not made the most of my talent and I feel the same.
Tough
"I did watch the Euros and think I should have been out there with England. "When I moved to Tottenham, I was in Fabio Capello's squad and should have kicked on, but it was a difficult time. "Within eight games of coming in the manager who signed me, Juande Ramos, was sacked, and then it just snowballed and got out of control and I never could get that second chance again. "I'd had so long riding a wave that was good and then I came off and was riding a wave that was bad, and I could never get myself back on top. "It has been hard, but hopefully now I can just get back and crack on."

Around Sky