David Bentley withdrew from England’s side for the European Under-21 Championship in Holland, citing ‘'tiredness’' as the reason.

The Blackburn Rovers star is a young man with a future in the national side for perhaps the next ten seasons (or did have). Nigel Reo-Coker and the others who remained are of a similar age, have played the same amount of games, yet are donning the three lions with pride.

I feel that Bentley was perhaps 'asked'  by the Blackburn management to consider his involvement with Stuart Pearce's team, and to take an extended break rather than represent his country in the Netherlands. After all, wouldn’t you feel tired 'working' for 180 minutes per week?

'What does playing football actually involve? Running, jumping, sprinting, jogging, tackling, arguing with opponents and officials?'


I use the term 'work' very loosely, as what does playing football actually involve? Running, jumping, sprinting, jogging, tackling, arguing with opponents and officials? Then we must consider traveling and training, which all in all is a lifestyle that most 20-somethings would die for.

So exactly where does the tiredness come in to it? I can imagine being tired at the end of the match.  I can imagine being tired with having to constantly talk to the press or give autographs en-masse. I can imagine getting tired with the constant glare of the spotlight in my face, day in and day out.

But this is David Bentley, not George Best or Maradona. The same player who was given a second chance by Blackburn after his release by Arsenal to make it as a Premiership footballer. Or is tiredness the wrong word? Perhaps fatigue would have been a better one, where the remedy would be a complete break to re-charge those batteries and regain that desire which you hope will see you through the next ten-month season.

I hope that come next June, Mr Bentley won't feel tired if selected for the European Championships. But then if it was me selecting the England team, he would be sunning himself on a beach a long way from Austria and Hungary.