DAVID BENTLEY: I WON'T CHANGE

DAVID BENTLEY refuses to accept that his cheekie-chappie image cost him his England place.

But nor will he change the way he is.

The Tottenham winger has not kicked a ball for Fabio Capello since the friendly with the Czech Republic in August and has since been completely discarded.

Word has it that Bentley's antics with Jimmy Bullard were too juvenile for the straight-laced Capello.

But Bentley, bang in form again under the Harry Redknapp revolution at Spurs, hit back as he prepared to take on Everton in the Premier League today.

FABIO CAPELLO - in charge

He said: "Jimmy and me? I have no comment on that except to say that my personality is my personality and that some people like it and others don't.

"I take my football seriously but enjoy myself at the same time.

"I wasn't made aware that I p****d Capello off. It didn't feel like it and the last thing he said to me was after the Arsenal game when he came over to say 'well done and good luck.'

"That's football. Sometimes you are up, other times down. Look, Jimmy was recalled for the last England game. I want to be involved again, too. If I am 'happy days' and if not I'll just get on with my life. Whatever, I'm still the same person."

Bentley, 24, believes his tricky start at Tottenham under Juande Ramos following a £15million switch from Blackburn was a bigger factor in the England argument.

He explained: "It was very difficult in new surroundings and a mish-mash of a situation trying to get a balance on my life and find some consistency on the field.

Emotion

"Tottenham fans haven't seen the best of me yet. It's been hard to go out there and play with emotion because of the way it has been.

"I came in when things weren't going well and then there was a change of manager.

"I'm not a robot. I had to find the right the balance within the team and as an individual and now, hopefully, I can progress because we now have a heart and soul to the club which I want to be part of."

Bentley truly has had a topsy-turvy season. At one point Ramos played him at right back; under Redknapp he hammered that 'Superman' goal on the volley from 30 yards in the 4-4 draw Arsenal.

He said: "I'm an up and down person. My head whirls round at 100mph and things weren't right. There was no happiness in the way we were playing. But I never fell out of love with Spurs."

Bentley added: "I am in competition with Aaron Lennon but there will always be great players in my position.

"It's not all about my situation. Sometimes he will play instead of me and if he does I will support him. "

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