great photo

[Stevie H]

[Guest ziggystardust]

FFFFFFFFFFRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAKKKKKKKKKKK

[ifanew]

He's practicing his Kenneth Williams impression because he's going to be doing it as his goal celebration during the World Cup.

 

Just send the £5 in the post.

[Rico]

Kenneth Williams

 

There you go, stealing my thoughts, again.

[whitewidow]

Stop messin' abaaaat....

[Guest Red Flame]

Good to see Crouchie getting other things than the bird from Inger-lund fans.

Did anyone read James Lawton's write-up in The Independent the other day in praise of him ?

 

James Lawton:

Who now dares question the inclusion of Crouch in England's World Cup plans?

Published: 06 June 2006

 

If it should be that Peter Crouch is indeed a significant factor in England's World Cup the toast should not simply be to a young man of terrific fortitude and good humour. We might also raise a glass to the defeat of all those sneering smart-arses who mistake cheap cruelty for wit, and who tend to assemble like foaming-mouthed dogs at the first scent of weakness, even difference.

 

Because Crouch performed a bizarre dance, and scored three goals against Jamaica the other day, he is now the big tall item. His worst critics, their statistics of his old goallessness crumpled and discarded in favour of the next easy, running joke, now herald a discovery of rare and freakishly exciting dimensions. When the England coach Sven Goran Eriksson matter-of-factly announced his intention of playing his first game in Germany without the Liverpool player, there was scarcely a whimper of dissent. Now if Crouch happened to be omitted from the opening duel with Paraguay there would probably be questions in the House.

 

It is all, of course, the usual drivelling nonsense pumped out when World Cup fever takes over. Crouch has not suddenly become a world beater. He remains what he has always been, a professional footballer of a certain and conspicuous value.

 

His mother was probably right when she disapproved of his robotic dance, which to many would seem like engaging fun but to her protective eye might have suggested exposure, if things went wrong, to a rehash of some old mockery.

 

Mothers often know best, and here is one, surely, who warrants a hearing. She has, after all, helped to bring up a son with a set of values that would command respect in any walk of life, and are surely remarkable in a world which, against the heaviest odds and sometimes most unpleasant circumstances, he appears to be in the process of conquering, at least to the point of earning a well-deserved measure of respect.

 

Certainly, it is to be hoped that there are a fair number of mea culpas being murmured among those who dreamt up the idea of flooding the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year award with votes for Crouch when he was enduring a goalscoring drought of Sahara proportions a few months ago. This campaign, aimed at embarrassing a wonderfully good-hearted player, apparently gained such ground that he was running hard behind the Ashes hero Freddie Flintoff in the BBC voting. Then Crouch started to score goals. Despite the sickening boos at Old Trafford when he was brought on to the field in a World Cup qualifying game, he played with his usual gallantry and had his effect. The other night at the same ground, but now buoyed by his chat with the heir to the throne and the artistic success of his effort on the dance floor, he was cheered quite thunderously.

 

What was this about? The switching tides of celebrity, the fickle swings of public opinion, the arbritary nature of any popularity when it is played out in the heat of restless media attention, you name it. Another unpleasant fact of the Crouch experience: five years ago the tall, perhaps gauche young man was listed on the charmlessly named Ugly Footballers' website. Now he is a hero who would be welcomed as the new resident at almost everyone's next door.

 

In a few days' time we will get to the heart of the matter. How good a footballer is Peter Crouch? In professional circles the jury is still musing, as it always will be when a player of such unusual dimensions presents himself at the highest levels of the game. But for some he long ago established a basic worth, for his ability to use his height, not in the kind of devastating heading power that marked the career of say, Alan Shearer, but in deft flicks and lay-offs, and a deceptive ability on the ground. In this he reminded some pros of Niall Quinn, who was a much more formidable figure physically, but one whose commanding height, and fine football intelligence, was guaranteed to disconcert any defence. Jan Koller of the Czech Republic is similarly tall, but does he have the resolution and the surprising craft of Crouch? Almost certainly not.

 

Crouch, in his extraordinary, skeletal shape, is unique in the history of modern English football. For anything like a comparison, at least in terms of controversy, you probably have to go all the way back to 1958 and the World Cup in Sweden, when the young Bobby Charlton, to the rage of the cognoscenti, and most fiercely that of Manchester United's No 2 and Welsh manager Jimmy Murphy, was kept out of the England side by Derek Kevan of West Bromwich Albion.

 

Kevan was not so tall as Crouch but he was ungainly and some said it was an offence that he kept out the rising golden boy. But one old pro, a fan of Crouch, recalls: "Kevan wasn't everybody's favourite, he didn't play with great natural skill, but you could never afford to give him anything around the box."

 

When Brian Clough saw in John Robertson, a Scot of generous shape, a match-winning, withdrawn winger, many pros were disbelieving. But they became believers quickly enough when Robertson opened the door to European Cup glory.

 

Can Crouch perform something of the same order for England? We will have to wait to see but in the mean time there are plenty of reasons to celebrate his presence in the greatest tournament in the game. He is not a Wayne Rooney or a Steven Gerrard or a David Beckham, he is not a player whose success could have been confidently flagged up from his early teens. But he has a value of spirit and unusual gifts, and when he runs out on to the field in Frankfurt against Paraguay on Saturday he will have already won the greatest battle of his life.

 

He will have behind him one great success. It was against the meaner aspects of the mob, the cheap baiters who pick on anyone who is different, and thus perhaps vulnerable. They picked on the wrong man, though, in Peter Crouch. Whoever steps into the sunlight in a month or so's time in Berlin, Crouch can be a proud of a winner's medal all of his own. It goes to anyone who takes on life on his own terms and comes shining through.

Edited June 7, 2006 by Red Flame

[ifanew]

There you go, stealing my thoughts, again.

 

 

Sorry!

 

Oh and BTW stop thinking that it's disgusting and very probably illegal!

[psl]

He will have behind him one great success. It was against the meaner aspects of the mob, the cheap baiters who pick on anyone who is different, and thus perhaps vulnerable. They picked on the wrong man, though, in Peter Crouch.

 

Love that bit.

[Guest Cally77]

Lets hope after all this he has a good world cup, as you know if England fail miserably who the scapegoats will be.

 

He's a strong lad though, and can take it.

[abuusayd]

URRRRR Matron!

[Knox_Harrington]

Lawton's right and the f***ing same goes for certain members on here who decided that Anyone But Crouch was funny and have kept its spirit going inamongst their s**** since we signed him.

[psl]

Lawton's right and the f***ing same goes for certain members on here who decided that Anyone But Crouch was funny and have kept its spirit going inamongst their s**** since we signed him.

 

Is a very good point. Can we name and shame the ABC?

[AntM]

"infamy, infamy... they've all got it infamy..."

[cymrococh]

Nice article by Lawton, coming from a journo who has access to players it confirms a lot of what I suspected about Crouchy.

[Leo No.8]

What a brilliant article by Lawton, very nicely written - I almost had a lump in my throat by the end!

 

Interestingly I remember we went on a fantastic run when all the focus was on Crouch and his goalscoring drought.

 

Now his surprising entry on centre stage for England may be taking a little pressure off the likes of Gerrard and Lampard in the run-up to the tournament, and may help them hugely in the same way, allowing them to prepare without too much fuss.

 

Crouch is almost upstaging the Rooney story at the moment - it's unbelievable!

 

Lawton's right and the f***ing same goes for certain members on here who decided that Anyone But Crouch was funny and have kept its spirit going inamongst their s**** since we signed him.

 

I though ABC was right, I really did want just about anyone else.

 

However, after a couple of games really watching him, I'd eaten my words. Even moreso now, it's become a positive word banquet with course after course being served on silver platters...

[TFU]

Not so long back (during his barren spell), I had a heated discussion with my best mate about Crouch, he maintained that he was one of the worst players in the premiership and he would not score more than 10 goals for Liverpool. I've always respected my mates opinion on football even though he is a member at Chelsea. He would always pick out the best/worst players in a side, even his own, and is very accepting of Romans millions playing their massive role in Chelseas rise to power. So I found it disappointing that he thought this... as it kind of lumped him in with the rest of the ignorant s**ts who had no idea.

 

Anyway, 6 months on, I have taken so much pleasure in winding my mate up everytime Crouch moves up a gear. Upon scoring his hatrick on Saturday, I received a txt.. "I always said that crouchy was a good player" a joke of course, but I think it highlights just how Crouch has turned the publics perception of him. By ignoring his detractors in the stands and the press, getting his head down and putting in the performances that he is now getting the recognition we all knew he should get.

 

Well done Peter Crouch, I salute you sir

[FanaticDane]

 

Williams have to be his dad

[ManxRed]

I don't think Williams was ever likely to be anyone's dad!!

[Lee W]

 

 

Interested in a t-shirt luv ?

 

[jimmylibel]

Good article by Lawton but about the voting for Crouch as BBC Sports Personality of the Year - weren't there posts on here encouraging us to do exactly that as a confidence boost as opposed to being a 'joke'?

[McBain]

Is a very good point. Can we name and shame the ABC?

 

Hello

[Maldini]

Forgive them Crouchy, for they know not what they do

[Guest Red Flame]

Good article by Lawton but about the voting for Crouch as BBC Sports Personality of the Year - weren't there posts on here encouraging us to do exactly that as a confidence boost as opposed to being a 'joke'?

I must admit that was my take on it. I suppose it could be read either way.

[Earl Hafler]

We might also raise a glass to the defeat of all those sneering smart-arses who mistake cheap cruelty for wit, and who tend to assemble like foaming-mouthed dogs at the first scent of weakness, even difference.

 

Speaking about most of his colleagues.

 

What a brilliant article by Lawton, very nicely written - I almost had a lump in my throat by the end!

 

Interestingly I remember we went on a fantastic run when all the focus was on Crouch and his goalscoring drought.

 

Now his surprising entry on centre stage for England may be taking a little pressure off the likes of Gerrard and Lampard in the run-up to the tournament, and may help them hugely in the same way, allowing them to prepare without too much fuss.

 

Crouch is almost upstaging the Rooney story at the moment - it's unbelievable!

I though ABC was right, I really did want just about anyone else.

 

However, after a couple of games really watching him, I'd eaten my words. Even moreso now, it's become a positive word banquet with course after course being served on silver platters...

 

Well i was firmly in the ' sign Crouch ' camp, as i was in the ' sell Baros ' camp for eons.

 

Rafa phones me daily.

[Woodsyla]

Is a very good point. Can we name and shame the ABC?

 

No naming and shaming required, Guilty as charged, thought it was a f***ing waste of money at the time, still not entirely 100% convinced by him but he gets my 100% backing when he pulls on a red shirt and he got 110% backing when he was pulling on an England shirt and getting the bird off the w*****s who follow Engerlund.

 

I didin't want him but I'll back him now he's here, don't see the shame in that ?