‘Many players would ask’ – Bent waxes lyrical about former Spurs teammate

Darren Bent has showered praise on Tottenham legend Ledley King, admitting that players would get a lift whenever the centre-back was fit to play for Spurs.

King is considered one of Tottenham’s greatest ever players, having come through the club’s youth set up and breaking into the first team in 1999, going on to make 268 appearances.

The centre-back was considered by many to be one of the most talented defenders of his generation but he was sidelined by chronic knee injuries in the latter part of his career, forcing him to eventually call time at the age of just 29.

Spurs fans certainly felt a sense of calm when they saw King’s name on the teamsheet and Bent admitted that it was the same with the players as well.

The former Tottenham striker waxed lyrical about the defender’s ability but admitted he preferred to lead by example rather than being vocal in the changing room.

Bent told talkSPORT (as relayed by Football.London) about King: “He wasn’t the most vocal, he would have a little word with you now and then, but he barely said anything. It was kind of like lead by example.

“So many players would ask the question throughout the week, is Ledley going to be fit because you always felt when he was on the pitch, and certainly when he was in that partnership with Jonathan Woodgate, you would go we’ve got a chance today.

“It was just lead by example, defend properly, never get himself in danger, always comfortable on the ball.”

Spurs Web Opinion

King seemed to possesses the calmness of peak Toby Alderweireld, the pace and athleticism of Davinson Sanchez while also being technically sound with the ball at his feet. In my opinion, he was the best English defender of his generation ahead of the likes of Terry, Ferdinand and Carragher.

While it is a shame that his injury problems prevented him from reaching his potential, I also believe that he is extremely likely to have left Spurs for a bigger club if he did not have injury issues, especially given how poor we were in the early 2000s.

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