The Big Interview / Editor / 07 August 2008 / Leave a comment

Betfair caught up with Birmingham's new signing Marcus Bent for a chat about Birmingham's promotion credentials, his own transfer history and why you'd be stupid to write off Kevin Phillips

Football's back. Okay so it's a week before the Barclays Premier League kicks off, but the race to get there begins this week. Betfair went to see Birmingham's new striker Marcus Bent for an exclusive chat about how the favourites for promotion are feeling

Hi Marcus, how are you settling in since your move?

Thanks, I'm getting there, those would be the words. I don't mean that in the sense that I haven't been made welcome, the boys are brilliant. From day one I've been made to feel welcome. It's just a question of getting through all the stuff that's involved in a new club - things like finding my way to the training ground now without getting lost or stuck in traffic!

You've moved around a few times. Is there a process to go through like when you start a new school?

Yeah, it's a bit like that. It's easier because I knew most of the lads anyway, I'd played with several of them at different clubs before, but it's still a new environment and I've got to get to know that environment. I've got to get to know the way Birmingham work, the way the boys play, the way they react to things. It's no different to ordinary life - if you went to another job you'd go through the same process. It's all good. I cannot wait for the season to start, we've a few more days to prepare. I had a lot of fitness to try to get back because I started a little bit later, but the main thing is just to stick with it and slowly, gradually it will come

As we said you've done a lot of moving around. Has that been through your choice?

Definitely not! Anybody who had the time to look into why I've kept moving, instead of just guessing, would understand. I don't think I've had the greatest amount of luck. The move I've just had from Charlton was an example, it happened only because financially they needed to get people out. They didn't get back up like they should have, and they wanted to get some money in and felt it was time for me to move on. I'm glad I've come here because I feel everything is in place and ideally I can be settled for a few years

We know your move was technically from Charlton, but you spent all last season at Wigan, you've been in the Premier League a long time. How hard was it to decide to take a step down?

You're right, apart from a couple of games with Charlton I've been in the Prem since 2003. That's where every player wants to be, isn't it, so I definitely understand why you'd ask me about walking away from it. But Birmingham, for me, if you look at the stadium and the facilities and the players, are set to come back. Don't get me wrong. I know we have to earn that and it will be a very hard season, and I don't mean to disrespect any other team. But the pressure is on us, and I think the players we have got will react to that pressure and can perform week in and week out.

Sounds like you're adding to the pressure a bit!

No, I'm not saying we think we are the best. I'm saying everyone else does. Have a look at the odds on Betfair's website and you'll understand what I'm saying. We just feel we are confident, that we will enjoy to compete, and we can be there or thereabouts at the end.

It's actually yourselves ahead of QPR and Reading

There you go - so it's not me putting us under pressure, it's everybody else that's doing that! But realistically that expectation is going to be there and we've got to respond to it. The club has just come down and we want to take it back up again.

So what's going to be different about playing in the Championship?

The number of games. There's that old saying that the Premier League is a marathon and not a sprint - this one is more like one of those Iron Man Triathlons! There's games thick and fast, and you have to be able to deal with that. Thankfully our squad is quite big and experienced and throughout I think if somebody is injured there's someone to replace them. For instance we've got five forwards and every one of them has played in the Premiership. I know it's a different League, and it's harder in the sense that there's a lot more grinding to be done, but I think we will adapt to that and we will be okay

The famous five, eh? Tell us about the competition for your place in the team, then?

I'm counting me and Kevin Phillips as the new boys with Cameron Jerome, Garry O'Connor and James McFadden. And that's without a couple of promising younger lads here and Gary McSheffrey who has gone up front and got goals before! It's good competition, for me. I think back to when I was playing at Leicester with the likes of Les Ferdinand, Dean Gordon, and Paul Dickov.

I had to compete with those sort of people who were seasoned pros, experienced, and it's good. It keeps you on your toes and you learn things from other people. There's another side you have to learn to deal with because sometimes you are not involved, but it gives you that kick up the backside to fight for your place and to fight for your team and to become a family, in a sense. There's probably only two places in the team between us so it won't get any easier and that's how it should be

There won't be many more experienced than Kevin Phillips to compete with?

I didn't really know him, and he's quite quiet around the place, he doesn't say too many words. But it doesn't take too long to see what a good pro he is, and even less time to see how good a finisher he is. We played at Leicester in a pre-season game and he had two half chances and bang, they were both goals. He'll do that more. He's someone I'm looking forward to working with and learning from.

Who are going to be the danger sides in the division?

You have to go on the teams that have just come down, ourselves, Reading and Derby. But to be honest there are 23 danger teams in this league. Last season proved that. Who expected Hull to get promoted or Bristol City to reach the play-off final? There's a lot of clubs who have been around the division and know what they are about, and have got the potential to come strong. You think of Wolves, Sheffield United - that's a couple off the top of my head but you can make a case for almost every side in the League

Thanks for your time - we've a free £50 bet for your favourite charity.

Great, that can go to the British Heart Foundation - my girlfriend's dad sadly passed away with heart troubles and we both support that. I know they have injury and illness problems but I still think I'm playing safe by backing Manchester United to win the Community Shield in normal time at [1.69]

Tags: Betfair bets, Birmingham promotion, football betting, Marcus Bent