วันศุกร์ที่ 21 พฤษภาคม พ.ศ. 2553

Crouch: Everyday is judgement day


Peter Crouch admits the entire England squad are "on trial" on and off the training pitch as they attempt to convince Fabio Capello of their worth.

Crouch claims the conduct of the players around the team hotel is as important a factor as impressing when in action at England's pre-tournament camp in Austria.

The Tottenham striker revealed he has even been ticked off for wearing the wrong sort of footwear but insists the entire squad fully respect Capello.

Crouch, who has scored 20 goals in 37 appearances for his country, said: "We do have to perform in training every day. We do feel on trial.

"I've felt like that ever since I came into the England squad, no matter whether it's the World Cup on the horizon or the next friendly.

"In every game for England you're judged by everyone - by the whole nation and by the manager as well. In every training session and in every game, I've always had the same belief.

"I've tried to impress and do well regardless of the World Cup at the end of it.

"It is fair to say we are judged on everything, time-keeping, with regards to footwear, your conduct around the hotel. Every time you're being judged.

"My trainers didn't arrive the other day because our bags didn't arrive. I had a pair of slippers on and I got pulled up on that. What could I do! I'd got no trainers."

Crouch added: "Does Capello makes the players nervous? I wouldn't say nervous, but he's definitely got that respect. He wants a certain standard.

"You have to make sure all the rules are abided by. Time-keeping is a main one.

"The lads seem to arrive 10 or 15 minutes before every meeting. There is discipline but it has to be like that with every regime."

The topic of the so-called 'WAGS' will inevitably rear its head as the World Cup approaches and Crouch revealed his girlfriend, model Abigail Clancy, is likely to remain at home during the tournament.

Crouch said: "At home, you go home to your wife after every single training session or game and it doesn't seem to affect the lads in any way.

"In a World Cup everything is a lot more high profile. People want to take pictures and make a big deal of it. That side of it can be distracting.

"I don't disagree with them being out but if they're going to be photographed and there's a big circus about it .... there's only four or five weeks at a World Cup, so you might as well just leave them at home.

"Am I doing that myself? Yes, if there's a huge circus around, there's no point to it.

"I would like to see my girlfriend but we have got four weeks to try to achieve something massive that would be with you for the rest of your life.

"We could all cope with not seeing our loved ones for that long if it's an opportunity to win a World Cup."

Crouch believes it is "probably a good thing" that the Capello Index, from which the England players would be marked in the World Cup, has been scrapped for now.

He said: "I don't really know anything about that. Obviously I've read the papers and seen what it was about but it's been postponed. It's probably a good thing for me.

"Would I look up my mark on a laptop? I've got to be honest. I probably would. The lads do look. No disrespect how people decide on the marks, but the rest of the world is looking at it.

"Whoever buys the newspapers is going to be looking at it. If I've got a four out of 10 then the readers are going to believe that. I only look when I've had a good game. I'm not joking."

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