Croucheeee

[Benitez]

Poor choice of headline there, but a decent report

 

 

I'll improve to stay at Anfield Crouch

Apr 7 2006

 

By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

 

 

PETER CROUCH believes he must maintain his rapid rate of improvement at Anfield to remain part of Rafa Benitez's long-term plans.

 

The Liverpool striker is the only current member of the forward line whose immediate future isn't in doubt following an exceptional debut season at the club.

 

While Robbie Fowler, Fernando Morientes and Djibril Cisse try to convince the boss to retain their services, Crouch has been integral to the Reds' domestic revival.

 

But the modest striker says he won't rest on his laurels as he seeks to build a long and successful career on Merseyside.

 

"You've got to keep progressing at a club like Liverpool, no matter how well you may think you've done in the past," said Crouch.

 

"You don't stay at a club like this unless you try to improve and continue to work on your game, and that's what I'll be doing.

 

"That's the same for all play-ers and I'm certainly not going to sit back. I've got to keep on my toes and push on and do as well as I can. I want to crack on from here.

 

"In many ways I see next season as an even bigger one for me. I want to do more. I want to be here for a long as possible. This is a great club and the place where I want to play my football.

 

"When you're at Liverpool, you've got to keep your standards high. We've players here who've achieved that over many years, such as Sami Hyypia, Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard and John Arne Riise.

 

"They're lads who've been performing week in, week out over many years. They've set a benchmark and they're players I look up to.

 

"All aspects of my game can be worked on. The manager never asks us to look at one thing in particular, but is always looking or us to improve.

 

"From my own point of view, I hope I can make everything about my play better.

 

"That starts with the games we've got coming up because we need to finish as high as we can in the league and think about winning the FA Cup."

 

Crouch was speaking at the Anfield launch of the 'Hyundai Goodwill Ball', a four metre wide football which will tour the country gathering good luck messages for the World Cup squad from fans and celebrities.

 

ere

[Kahnee]

Croucheeee?

 

We really must put more effort into stopping you inventing names for players...

[Benitez]

Croucheeee?

 

We really must put more effort into stopping you inventing names for players...

 

 

thats what the commentators on them football streaming channels call him, it's great

[Stevie H]

crouch will get better and better. he's still young and will only improve a lot from playing regular european football.

[DanielS]

After the next 8 years of great service to the club there will still be morons in the Sky Sports Soccer Special studio mentioning their surprise that he has a good touch for a big man.

[kop205]

Has he had 'an exceptional debut season' though?

 

Not saying he has been s*** as he has certainly made progress and we know how to use him better now, but 'exceptional' seems a bit over the top to me.

 

Fowler and Owen had exceptional debut seasons, I'd say Momo is having a very good one too.

 

Not really any half measures with Bascome though is there?

[hideNseek]

Well he's having as bloody good first season then.

[kop205]

Well he's having as bloody good first season then.

 

I wouldn't disagree particularly with that, just think 'exceptional' is going a bit far - especially given the long spells this seasons when we have struggled to score goals, something from which Crouch can't be immune to criticism. I'd go with a 'good debut season witht he promise of more to come'!

 

My point was probably more about Bascombe really - that he sees things in very black and white terms and has his favourites and his scape goats, which is fine when talking as a fan but less when writing as a professional journalist. He does tend to get an idea in his head that someone can either do no wrong or do nor right and then bang on about it forever and a day - note the constant needless digs at Houllier and Morientes. He just seems a bit prone to hyperbole at times and does labour points - which is probably what I'm doing, so I'll leave it there!

[Knox_Harrington]

But, not really surprising, thats how he is, he's right out of the David Maddocks School of journalists.

Bulls***.

[Benitez]

Bulls***.

 

good argument there, to show otherwise

 

I like it!

[Kahnee]

My point was probably more about Bascombe really - that he sees things in very black and white terms and has his favourites and his scape goats, which is fine when talking as a fan but less when writing as a professional journalist.

 

Sports journalists don't come under the normal rules though - they are, for the most part, fans who happen to write about what they love. It's the same in most 'specialist' areas.