Tottenham coach Joe Jordan insists it was the right decision to sell Darren Bent to Sunderland.

Bent is back at Spurs tonight - as an England first-choice with Aston Villa.

Jordan insists the decision to retain Jermain Defoe over Bent could not be based on scoring records alone.

"Jermain was scoring goals at the time. He was doing OK," said Jordan. "You have got to look at what strikers you have, can you play one up front, can he adapt to that?

"Do you move him on, bring this one in - these are the problems that a manager and a chairman have. It doesn't just fall into place.

"A lot of homework goes on behind the scenes in order for you to get the squad right.

"Now and again someone has got to be sacrificed for his good and the good of the team.

"You have to look at the bigger picture and not just at that individual. Even now there is competition for places.

"If you are going to be involved at a big club, unless you are a real world-class player and even then you will be rested, you have got to look at the competition and accept that challenge and take it.

"And that is the way we are at Spurs. We have competition for places.

"Darren has always been a player that has scored goals. But here he was competing for a place with two or three other strikers who were equally good."