DAVID Bentley, tipped as the natural successor to England winger David Beckham, admits he is feeling under pressure to replace the iconic LA Galaxy player.
The 23-year-old Blackburn Rovers winger's impressive season earned him a place in coach Fabio Capello's squad for the two friendlies with Switzerland and France and he has also been called into the squad for the friendly double-header with the USA t
omorrow and then Trinidad & Tobago on 1 June.
The former Arsenal player is aware of the expectation levels and he admitted: "I'm just starting out in my international career and I have to prove a lot. Every time I go out on the pitch I have a lot to prove to the media, the fans and the manager. I've got to perform every time. There is no point talking a good game – I have to go out and do it."
"He (Beckham) is loved by everyone. I admire him highly as a man and a player, but it will be difficult to get past him. He has got everything. I'll do my best and see what happens.
"The levels he has reached are so high, but I am here to take his place."
Bentley came under fire after withdrawing from the England Under-21 squad for the European Championships in Holland last summer. He claimed fatigue as the reason behind his controversial withdrawal, which critics labelled a 'disgrace' and 'unpatriotic'.
Bentley was even booed at Wembley when he made his senior debut, but he insists he has no regrets about the decision which caused him so much criticism.
"I am just looking to the future now," said Bentley. "I am looking to do well every time I step out on to the pitch. There will be people who are questioning me from a footballing and personality point of view, but they don't know me."
Bentley also insists John Terry's professionalism has shone through since joining up with the England squad following his Champions League penalty miss against Manchester United last week.
Terry slipped as he took the penalty which could have won the Blues their first Champions League and although he says he will be 'haunted forever' by the blunder, the Chelsea captain has been a true pro, according to Bentley.
"John has been great," said Bentley. "He has just got on with his job. He's a great player and a great professional.
"He knows what he has to do. I was gutted for him but that happens in football and I am sure that he is just thinking about getting into the final of the Champions League again next year and winning it."
Owen Hargreaves also praised Terry's attitude and insisted no ill-feeling existed between the Manchester United and Chelsea players as they reunited for England's end-of-season internationals.
The players experienced similar conditions to those in Moscow last Wednesday evening – driving rain – when they trained ahead of the friendly double-header. But there were no visible signs of any hangover being suffered by the Chelsea contingent while the United players were focused on making the right impression under the watchful eye of Capello.
Hargreaves is adamant the respect between the players of both teams, who fought out the titanic struggle in Russia, runs deep after many battles side by side for their country.
Hargreaves said: "The Man United players are on a high and the Chelsea players are a bit disappointed, but we're all professional enough to put that aside. The final has gone and we are a team for England now. We are focusing on the two games with England. We're not focusing on what happened a week ago.
"I don't think there is any ill-feeling towards each other. Everyone's friends. We've known each other a long time. We've spent so much time together at major tournaments. There is a lot of mutual respect for each other.
"I am sure it is not easy for Chelsea to forget what happened but they have done a fabulous job this week of not letting anything really get to them and I admire them for that." Terry, who is still waiting to find out if he will be Capello's eventual captain, was totally inconsolable after events in Moscow when his penalty struck the outside of the post as glory for Chelsea beckoned.
But Hargreaves believes the central defender has the strength of character to put his disappointment behind him and be an even stronger person.
Hargreaves said: "He will come back even stronger. There is no doubt that John Terry is a fabulous leader. Just because he missed a penalty doesn't change anything about him as a footballer and a person."
The full article contains 793 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
