Darren Bent has claimed that his former Tottenham teammate Aaron Lennon does not get the respect he deserves, given the winger’s longevity at the top level.
Lennon was a fantastic servant for Spurs, having featured over 350 times since his move from Leeds in 2005 (TransferMarkt). The winger was one of Tottenham’s most potent attackers during his heyday and regularly featured in England squads.
His pace and dribbling ability made the now 34-year-old a nightmare to play against and Spurs fans at White Hart Lane would often stand in expectation whenever he received the ball.
Lennon’s career has gone on a downward trajectory since he left Spurs to join Everton in 2015.
After a brief spell at Turkish club Kayserispor last season, the winger re-joined Burnley in the summer and he has shown this campaign that he still very much belongs at the top-level
Lennon clocked up his 400th Premier League appearance on Sunday when he featured for Sean Dyche’s men against Liverpool (TransferMarkt).
When asked if his former teammate gets the respect he deserves for his longevity, Bent told talkSPORT Breakfast: “Probably not. That is a lot of appearances, by the way, 400. That is some going by Aaron Lennon.
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“I played with him at Tottenham. England international. Loads of ability. He can go past people. He has really good times at Tottenham.
“Of course, we have been blessed in this country with fantastic players. World-class superstars, so maybe he doesn’t get the respect he deserves.
“But you don’t talk anything away from him. To rack up 400 appearances in arguably the most competitive league in the world tells you everything you need to know.”
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Lennon is arguably one of the most underrated Spurs players in the Premier League era and in his pomp, he would often give nightmares to the best left-backs in the country like Ashley Cole and Patrice Evra.
Unfortunately, the 34-year-old has been a victim of the game’s tactical evolution, with hardly any team playing with traditional wingers over recent years.
Unlike the likes of Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young, Lennon did not adapt into a wing-back and did not score enough goals to play as a wide-forward.
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