Sunderland boss Steve Bruce refuses to focus on Darren Bent, Jack Colback expects fans reaction
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce revealed he felt striker http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/England-c749 international left the Stadium of Light just after 16 months
in the January transfer window of 2011 for rivals Aston Villa.
Today, on Saturday 29th October, Bent will be making a return to the Black Cat’s home for the first time since he left. While Bruce admitted that Bent was a top class striker and could do some serious damage, he did not want to focus too much
on his return.
Bruce said in an interview:
“He could have been, in my opinion, one of the greats of Sunderland, and I'm talking about up there with the very best goal-scorers in the club's history, if he had hung around. He would have broken a lot of records.”
According to Bruce, the game itself was bigger than the return of the England international, who was on the way to becoming a Sunderland great. During his time at the Stadium of Light, Bent scored 36 goals in 63 appearances in all competitions.
He continued:
“But that didn't happen and it's gone now, it's finished, its history and we all have to move on. As far as I'm concerned, the over-riding thing is to focus on Aston Villa and not get side-tracked by the sideshow of Darren Bent's return to the club.”
Meanwhile, former Sunderland teammate http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Jack-Colback-c17451 believed Bent would certainly receive special treatment from the fans upon his return. The 22-year-old midfielder said the former fans favourite would have it easy from the fans on his first visit back.
Colback revealed:
“I think he will get stick - and he will be expecting it.”
However, Colback revealed he believed Bent would be expecting the treatment he would go on to receive, especially since the way the transfer had taken place. Bent had, quite unexpectedly, handed in a transfer request in the January transfer window, which
Bruce had no choice but to accept since the striker clearly wanted to leave.
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