Bent considered quitting England

Sunderland striker Darren Bent considered quitting England duty after being left out of Fabio Capello's World Cup squad.

However, despite Bent's anger at not being selected for South Africa he is not prepared to give up on his international career just yet.

"I felt that I was taken to Austria as a token gesture," said the former Tottenham forward, who has scored 48 goals in the last two seasons.

"It was as though he (Capello) decided he had to take me because of the goals I'd scored.

"He took me to the training camp, gave me 45 minutes and because I didn't score two goals, that was it. It hurt. I can't deny that was how I felt.

"I had long conversations with my dad and my manager. I just felt I was only there to make up the numbers.

"I thought 'should I just call it a day with England and hang up my boots in international football?' I contemplated it.

"If I couldn't get in the squad after scoring so many goals in the Premier League that season...."

But Bent quickly realised he would be making a rash decision.

"You can't burn your bridges like that," he told The Journal.

"I hope it is going to be a meritocracy. A few people have said to me that I've jumped up the pecking order after what happened over there, but who knows?

"People are saying this is going to change and that is going to change, but how much can it?

"All I can do is keep going, keep believing in myself and keep scoring goals.

"I'm not going to give up on England because of what happened this summer.

"I'm going to keep working hard, keep playing well for Sunderland and keep knocking on that door. That's all I can do."