Concentrate on club, Hughes tells his England reject
Last updated at 21:23 18 August 2007
Mark Hughes has told David
Bentley he has no time to mope
around after being denied the
chance of playing in England's
friendly against Germany at
Wembley on Wednesday.
Blackburn boss Hughes had
tipped Bentley (pictured) to make Steve
McClaren's squad after an
impressive start to the season by
the winger.
But Bentley, who faces
his former club Arsenal at Ewood
Park today, has not been forgiven
in some quarters since blaming
tiredness for walking out on
Stuart Pearce's squad ahead of
the European Under-21
Championship finals in June.
Hughes admitted Bentley is insisted the player had to forget
his international setback for
Blackburn's sake.
'David is disappointed because
he is desperate to play for
England at senior level,' said
Hughes. 'But he has to remember
he has important games week in
and week out. That should help
focus his mind. He can't dwell on
missing out on England. He will
be disappointed but we have to
move on.'
Meanwhile, Hughes believes
Roque Santa Cruz can follow in
Benni McCarthy's footsteps and
mark his debut Rovers season by
hitting the 20-goal barrier.
'You don't stay as long as Roque
did at Bayern Munich if you don't
have talent,' said Hughes. 'He has
plenty of it and he will get much
better. He's got the ability to score
a lot of goals for us this season
and he hasn't made a bad start so
far.
'Arsenal are a very accomplished
side with huge talent. People are
waiting for them to fall but I just
don't see it. It's a big game for us
because it's our first at home this
season.'
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