David Bentley insists he is not a "big-time Charlie" as he looks to rebuild his career during a six-month loan spell at Birmingham City. Bentley moved from Blackburn Rovers to Tottenham for £15m two and a half years ago but has gone on to become a fringe player as players such as Aaron Lennon and Rafael van der Vaart have leapfrogged him into the Spurs first-team. Now the 26-year-old wants to show the form that led to him being hailed as the new David Beckham during the early part of his career.
"My relationship with Harry [Redknapp, the Spurs manager] is fine and it is difficult when you have an abundance of talent [to pick from]," Bentley said. "I did get back in the team last year but then you have got someone like Aaron Lennon doing so well and the team is winning every week. It has been a difficult time, being out of the team, and there are so many great players there. But it is time to put those times aside and hopefully I can have a positive effect on Birmingham. This is my club for the next six months and hopefully the qualities I've got will come through. I want to resurrect my career."
Bentley insists the perception of him being a laid-back character who enjoys life should not be mistaken as meaning he does not care deeply for football. He said: "I do care about things. People sometimes get this perception that I'm a big-time Charlie. But that is not the case. I love playing football. I left Arsenal to play football. I went to Tottenham, not for the money, but with the best intentions of pushing on in my career. Every day I wake up, I do think how lucky I am. There is nothing better than playing football. I appreciate what I have got."
Bentley is likely to make his first appearance for Birmingham in Sunday's derby with Aston Villa. He said: "I hear it is quite a passionate affair and that there is great rivalry between the two clubs." Meanwhile, the Birmingham manager, Alex McLeish, is optimistic that the Rangers striker Kenny Miller will also join the Midlands club in a £1.1m deal, despite interest from Fiorentina. But Sebastian Larsson's move to Newcastle has stalled after the Swedish midfielder could not agree personal terms.
