I am pretty disappointed Bentley is going, even more so after watching that dross last night.
Bentley is a young player who for me has a great future in the game and brings that raw aggression you need at times. His work rate is phenomenal, his tackle count is incredible, his energy remains for the full 80. He has that will to win, winning at all costs mentality.
I watch certain players who I won’t be naming but we can all guess who, who just simply go through the motions, no fight, no emotion just do there bit and go home and I’m sick of it.
If we had a team of players with no ability and lots of evident fight and pride in the shirt I would be far less concerned.
We are St Helens and that home game in front of only home support against our second biggest rival was nothing short of pathetic. Call the coach, yes his tactics are woeful but where is the leadership? Who grabs that game by the scruff of the neck and says right let’s win this… not one.
Then at full time I watch around the pitch and see high fives and laughs and jokes between our players and Warrington’s. Certainly sporting, anyone recall James Graham, Leeds away around 10 years ago. I do.
Call me old fashioned but not acceptable at all, you have just put in a •••• poor show at home and didn’t look like scoring if we played for another 3 hours.
We have masked a lot of our flaws over with success and could potentially continue to do so on 17th July.
Now back to where James Bentley fits in. I’m aware he requested a big contract, I’m aware the club was not prepared to move the goalposts on our salary pay scales. No problem, we cannot force a player to remain, likewise with Fages but I feel this one will leave a longer lasting bad taste and I think the playing staff has weakened with the loss.
You can take the dog out of the fight but you cannot take the fight out of the dog. We have no dogs just everyone’s favourite pets.
Good luck James Bentley.