Trouble 'N' strife for Harry Redknapp

Posted Monday, November 21, 2011 by Dailystar.co.uk

Trouble 'N' strife for Harry Redknapp
Above: Darren Bent will be hoping to get one over his old club when he returns to White Hart Lane

Darren Bent might just ask Harry Redknapp how his missus is if he grabs a goal against old club Tottenham tonight.

Redknapp returns to the dugout after his heart scare, fearing that old boy Bent might just set back his recovery.

The England striker is still haunted by a piece of Redknapp mischief despite since moving to Sunderland and then Aston Villa.

Villa’s £24m hitman found himself the butt of jokes after his then boss Redknapp mocked a missed chance by saying his missus Sandra could have put it away.

Bent is often reminded of it despite establishing himself as an international striker with England.

And Bent is more than capable of ramming those words down his old gaffer’s gob, according to Villa boss Alex McLeish.

McLeish said: “He’s the guy who still gets into the right positions. I know Harry’s comment was tongue-in-cheek but I’m sure Darren has scored 20 or 30 goals since that Sandra wouldn’t have put away.

“Benty is crucial to our team in that if we create chances we have a guy who’s going to find space in the box.”

Bent’s tally of five for the season so far is no surprise to team-mate Jermaine Jenas, who saw the striker up close during their days together at White Hart Lane.

Jenas is ineligible to play as part of the season-long loan deal that took him to Villa.

“He probably doesn’t get enough credit for his strike rate. He has consistently scored goals wherever he has been,” said Jenas.

“Scoring goals is what he does – it’s him down to a tee. I think he turned his career around in that at one point people perhaps looked at him as being a bit hit-and-miss.

“But he’s prolific now and no-one can question his goals-to-games ratio.”

Jenas would be the least surprised man at the Lane if Bent was suddenly peeling away to celebrate after scoring.

He added: “I wouldn’t say he has something to prove but I’m sure he will want to score. I think the comment by Harry about his missus was probably blown up.

“At the same time, Benty did what he wanted and left the club and did well at Sunderland.