Sunderland striker Darren Bent admits he's happy to be away from Tottenham.

Bent says he had to ditch White Hart Lane to salvage his confidence - and flagging England career.

He said: "It was horrible at Tottenham - people doubted me and my confidence took a battering. When you are not playing you're never going to make an impression."

Bent reached his lowest point in January this year when he missed at sitter in a 1-1 draw with Portsmouth - a chance Redknapp later claimed his wife Sandra would have tucked away.

The striker added: "It was a difficult period in my career, there were times I doubted myself.

"When people are levelling criticism at you it is not nice to take."