Crouch to Portsmouth

[RolandG]

It does sound hollow but Crouch doesn't need an excuse if he wants to move on. All he has to do is reject the extension offered and request a transfer. There'll be plenty of takers.

 

[manwithnoname]

[quote author=digsy link=topic=22280.msg534789#msg534789 date=1207558961]
What england aspirations??? I thought England are not in the Euros....I'm amazed at how all footballers looking for regular football will clamour for a move on the basis of turning up for their national teams....when in reality no one has really turned on conistent good performances for the Three Lions in ages.
[/quote]

I think that's a side-issue. The fact remains that most footballers want to play football, and while there is always the hope that things will turn around, if you aren't getting games and doesn't look like changing, you have a decision to make.

Look at Defoe.

I fully respect and understand Peter Crouch wanting to leave in order to play more games, and to be honest I'd expect nothing less from a person like him. He knows it's unlikely that he'll ever play for a bigger or better club than Liverpool, but sometimes that's just not enough.

 

[Dreambeliever]

He still has 1 in 2 from prem starts this season.

He's a great threat in Europe and is a different option.

I wouldn't sell him.

 

[Digsyy]

But is it worth the risk to keep a disgruntled unhappy player who's coming to the last year of his contract when we could cash in now?? Perhaps this is a result of our switch to Rafa's preferred 4-2-3-1 formation and Torres succes.....I think we could have some problem attracting in a top striker who wouldn't mind playing second fiddle to Torres.

 

[Rosco]

Peter Crouch accepts he will probably have to consider quitting Liverpool in the summer to get regular first-team football.

The England striker scored an impressive opening goal in the 1-1 Premier League draw with Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

However, Crouch feels he is likely to be back on the Anfield bench for Tuesday night's second leg of their Champions League quarter-final with the Gunners, when leading scorer Fernando Torres is expected to lead the attack again.

Liverpool have offered the 27-year-old, who arrived from Southampton in a £7million deal during 2005, a new contract.

Yet Crouch, who has 25 England caps, intimated his future could well lay elsewhere if he cannot hold down a first-team place.

"I would love to stay, it is a fantastic club and I love everything about it, but I have got to be realistic," said Crouch, who has just seven Premier League starts this season.

"If I want to have any aspirations of playing for England, or furthering my career, then I have to be playing - and that doesn't seem to be the case at the moment.

"I will have to look at it - but that's certainly something I won't be doing now, I will be doing it at the end of the season."

Crouch, though, insists his current focus in on helping Liverpool progress in Europe.

"At the moment I am concentrating on winning something for Liverpool and playing some part in the end of the season," he said.

"We have got a Champions League run-in now and it's exciting for us, and all my efforts are focused on that."

Reds boss Rafael Benitez made eight changes for the Premier League match on Saturday, and looks set to tinker with his side again on Tuesday.

Crouch, though, is expecting to be back on the bench.

"It's pretty clear I probably won't start," he said.

"Obviously if the manager plays one up front, he is more than likely to go with Fernando - and rightly so, he's been fantastic this season.

"Before when he was rotating at least I was getting a game here and there. But the manager's obviously stuck with a formation now that seems to be working, and credit to the players that have been playing in that system.

"We have certainly been playing well and I think we have got a great chance of going through to the semi-finals now in Europe.

"But for me, I will just have to obviously keep working hard and try and change his mind."

Crouch revealed: "It can be disheartening, but you have to keep going.

"I am one of those players that will keep going, I keep working hard in training, and, if called upon then hopefully I'll do what I did at Arsenal.

"At a big club there is always that pressure. Even if you start every game, if you don't perform, you know you are going to be out.

"But maybe me more so, with the fact that I haven't played that much this season, so, when I do, I have to make sure that I do well and do the business to try and stay in."

After holding the Gunners to a 1-1 draw twice in the space of four days, Crouch believes Liverpool will have a psychological edge tomorrow.

"We have got to take confidence from the fact that we've played two away games now against Arsenal and certainly not been outplayed at any time," said the striker.

"We have given them a good account of ourselves, could have won either game, it could have gone either way.

"Now, when we are at Anfield and with the crowd behind us, we feel we can beat anyone."

 

[Vlads Quiff]

A realist with a great attitude, best of luck to the lad.

regards

 

[Oncy]

I'll be disappointed if he leaves, but will live with it if the money helps our title tilt next year.
I also wouldnt strengthen Pompey, Everton, Citeh or Spurs.

 

[Fabio]

I'll miss the lad, I think that even though he hasn't been the most prolific of men he's given us (to use a cliche) a new dimension that some defenders just cannot handle. I'll miss him, because worst case scenario he could come on and change the game, and we don't overly have an impact player like that without him

 

[manwithnoname]

[quote author=Herr Onceared link=topic=22280.msg535878#msg535878 date=1207637321]
I'll be disappointed if he leaves, but will live with it if the money helps our title tilt next year.
I also wouldnt strengthen Pompey, Everton, Citeh or Spurs.
[/quote]

Spurs? As if he'd get any more games there.