Twelve months on and Bent is Capello's first choice centre forward with three goals in three games for England and set to lead the line when he wins his 10th cap against Switzerland on Saturday.
It has been an incredible campaign for the 27-year-old striker, moving from Sunderland to Aston Villa for ?24million, becoming the top scoring Englishman in the Barclays Premier League (again) and altering a few perceptions along the way. Not least Capello's.
Deadly: Darren Bent (right) scored his first England goal against Switzerland last year
Of his 17 top-flight goals, the penultimate was Bent's favourite a beautifully controlled volley, the first of two in a win at Arsenal. It oozed class, but, more significantly, it oozed self-belief. It was indicative of his progress.
'I feel more confident than ever before in my career,' said Bent. 'I wouldn't say I feel like I'm the England centre forward but I feel like I'm part of the set-up.
'I feel I'm playing really well at the moment and long may it continue. Hopefully I'm showing people I can play at the top level and score goals. It's always been my aim to cement a place as? England's regular No 9. That hunger will never go away.'
Coincidence or not, his fortunes changed with his first England goal, against Switzerland in Basel last September. 'It lifted a weight off my shoulders,' said Bent.? 'People questioned whether I could score for England. I was jumping for joy inside. I scored and we won. I've grown in confidence since.
At the double: Bent (right) scored twice against Arsenal at the end of the season
'In my own head, I'm doing the same thing, but other people say they can see I'm getting better. Fabio says he feels I'm becoming a better player.
'He said to me that the best thing I could have done was to leave Sunderland. Although I think I'm the same player now, he said my general play wasn't really being tested. At Sunderland we were on the back foot a lot and it was a case of me just scoring goals, but at Villa he thinks I've developed into a more all-round striker.'
In four years between his debut against Uruguay at Anfield in March 2006 and last year's World Cup finals, Bent started just twice for England. One was a friendly against Brazil in Doha, when most of the team pulled out and his side barely had the ball. The other was last year's friendly against Japan in Austria, another dismal England display marred by complacency from some of those already? guaranteed a seat on the plane to South Africa.
Bent's international career was going nowhere. He was unfairly judged on a couple of listless friendlies and in danger of being remembered for one costly miss after coming on as late substitute in the 3-2 defeat by Croatia at Wembley when a draw would have taken England to Euro 2008.
'It was a massive game for the country and it probably did weigh on my mind,' he said. 'My club form probably suffered a little bit because of it but I've learned to forget about chances I've missed and move on to the next one.'
Bent has also buried the Redknapp slur. The remark was made in January 2009 when he was playing for Tottenham and headed a late chance wide in a draw against Portsmouth. 'My missus could have scored that,' said Redknapp. Six months later, thestriker moved to Sunderland.
Hot shot: Bent's goal helped England to a Euro 2012 qualifying win over Wales
'Harry's a well-liked guy and a lot of people listen to what he's got to say,' said Bent. 'When I first left Spurs, it was on my mind to show people but after the first season when I scored a lot of goals at? Sunderland I just put it to bed. Whatever he said, it's over now.'?
Bent smiled when reminded? that Redknapp was favourite to succeed Capello as England boss. 'If Harry gets the job, good luck to him,' he said. 'If I keep playing well and he doesn't pick me, then? obviously something's going on. But I'm sure he'll do a good job.'?
With 162 goals in 315 starts for five clubs, Bent is one of the most prolific English strikers of his? generation, a point he is finally getting across. Wayne Rooney is suspended on Saturday but in Wales in March, Capello opted for Bent at centre forward and moved Rooney to wide left.
Bent has been concerned by comments from Stewart Downing and Ashley Young suggesting they may be leaving Aston Villa. 'I went to Villa to play with these type of players. Hopefully the club can hold on to them,' he said.
?Darren Bent: One for the future? I'm ready to go NOW, striker tells CapelloBent desperate for England duo Young and Downing to stay at VillaEngland striker crisis deepens as Defoe pulls out of Euro 2012 qualifierEngland hit with striker crisis as Fabio counts cost of final day injuries
?Explore more:People: Darren Bent, Fabio Capello, Ashley Young, Wayne Rooney, Stewart Downing Places: Japan, Croatia, United Kingdom, Austria, Wales, South Africa, Switzerland, Brazil
Source: Daily Mail
Source: Daily Mail