Charlton boss Alan Pardew insists
there was nothing 'irregular' about Darren Bent's non-appearance
for England in their last two European Championship qualifying
games.
The 23-year-old striker was a noticeable absentee from Steve
McClaren's squad that travelled to Israel and Barcelona, for the
Andorra clash, having been withdrawn after aggravating a knee
problem.
Bent has subsequently been declared fit for Charlton's vital
Premiership clash with Wigan at the weekend, in a turn of events
that has manifest the odd whisper that club commitments were being
put first.
Pardew, though, is refusing to be drawn into any such debate and is
adamant in his stance that there was nothing suspicious about his
player's unavailability.
"I do not really care if it looks suspicious, really, because it is
just not true," said the Charlton boss.
"Darren was injured and you are talking about the highest level of
football here and you need to be 100 per cent right.
"There was nothing going on that was irregular in any shape or
form.
"Steve McClaren and I had a long discussion about it on the phone,
and he had a chat with Darren. I left it up to them and they came
to their own conclusion."
While Pardew claims Bent was in no way ready in terms of his
fitness to play international football, he is firmly of the opinion
that were circumstances different, then his striker would have
shone on the highest stage.
"I just think he would make a difference to any team," he
concluded. "Darren is a top player and he is going to get better as
well.
"He has been a great character in training and is a natural
goalscorer, a Premiership goalscorer."