Why no-one is innocent in sorry Sunderland saga

By Brian Reade

Published 22:59 21/01/11

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Every now and then a story comes along which doesn’t so much insult the intelligence of ­football fans as question whether they have any.

The Darren Bent transfer is such a story. A tale of disloyalty, deceit, dirty tricks and breath-taking hypocrisy.

Let’s do disloyalty with Darren first. He wants you to believe he jumped ship mid-season from a team fighting for a European place to one in a relegation dog-fight because they are a “massive club”.

As European Cup winners, some may well describe Villa as such, but in the few years left of Bent’s career they have as much chance of getting back into that competition as Sunderland.

So the only massive thing we can assume Bent is interested in is his wage packet. And Villa are offering 30 per cent more. End of story.

He is, after all, the man who tweeted to the Spurs chairman “stop “f***ing around Levy” to engineer his lucrative move to Sunderland.

The Mackems took him to their heart and believed the affection was reciprocated when, three months ago, Bent hinted he had found his spiritual home: “I like Sunderland. I like the people. It’s a really nice part of the world.”

Not that nice that he wouldn’t kick those people in the guts at the first whiff of a bigger pay day. But how and when did he get that whiff? Villa tell us it was only after he’d put in his transfer request on Saturday evening. First they knew about it guv’nor. Honest.

Funny how less than 72 hours later the deal was signed, sealed and delivered.

Sunderland have every right to accuse Villa of tapping him up because that’s how it looks. I’m not saying Villa should be pilloried for doing so because it’s common practice. But why feign hurt by saying your good name has been “besmirched”? Why deny all sin and claim you would never dream of tapping-up a player?

Especially when Gerard Houllier is your manager. Someone who likes to paint himself as ­distinguished coaching aristocracy, but someone who was the first manager of an English club to be fined for making an illegal approach to a player.

Ten years ago Middlesbrough were so outraged at the pursuit of Christian Ziege they demanded Houllier’s Liverpool be charged by the Premier League. They were found guilty and fined £20,000.

Steve Bruce has every right to ask why Houllier didn’t ring him to ask about Bent’s availability once he’d put in a transfer request. That’s what managers who know each other do, isn’t it? Unless they’ve got something to hide.

But that is the only question Bruce can ask in this tacky saga. For him to question Bent’s loyalty and Villa’s morals is richer than Sheikh Mansour, Roman Abramovich and Bill Gates put together.

Bruce is the mercenary’s mercenary. A serial love-rat who has broken more loyalty vows than Darren Day – as fans of Wigan, Crystal Palace, ­Sheffield United, Huddersfield and Birmingham can testify.

And now he demands respect from Villa. As do Villa from him. As does Bent from everyone.

As for respecting the intelligence of the people who pay their wages? Leave it out.

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