West Ham United boss Sam Allardyce is delighted with Tottenham loan signing David Bentley.

Bentley hardly got a kick at Spurs under manager Harry Redknapp and the snub severely damaged his confidence.

But Allardyce said: "I don't think Big Time Charlie is a good description of a player who has a lot of confidence in his ability but hasn't been able to show it recently.

"I can see on a daily basis that Bentley has a smile on his face, which tells me a lot. Body language is 65 per cent of communication before you even talk - so you can spot someone who isn't so good, shoulders hunched, looking at the floor.

"Bentley is only here on loan at the moment, not permanent, so this is a big opportunity for him to put his career back on track.

"He's had a good impact when he's come on as a sub. It's clear he needs more games and has a chance of starting at Palace."