Peter Crouch Wembley Interview

Peter Crouch Wembley Interview

SoccerBible caught up with Premier League and England star Peter Crouch this week at Wembley stadium. Crouchy is one of football's characters, and whilst attending as a special guest for the FA Mars 'Just Play' competition winners, we got the chance to ask Crouch about his early playing days, along with his current England and Stoke career, and of course his choice of footwear...

SoccerBible: Can you describe what it's like playing at Wembley, and what the Mars competition winners must be experiencing? Peter Crouch: It's fantastic for them. Obviously I've been privileged enough to play at Wembley for England and it's the best feeling ever. Watching games here is great, so for the competition winners here it's a chance to play at Wembley, meet a few England players, so it must be fantastic for them. SB: Is the grass roots work Mars is doing important? PC: Yes as I think football numbers are dwindling, so it's fantastic for Mars to be involved in getting everyone to start playing again. SB: Did you ever play at grass roots level?

PC: Yeah of course, I used to play down the parks in teams and with my mates. Obviously if I wasn't doing what I do now, then I'd still be doing that. My friends play at local clubs and travel around playing amateur football and enjoying it, and I'd definitely be doing that now.

SB: When playing at that level were you a stand-out player, or were any of your mates better than you?

PC: (slight pause) No. I'm confident enough to say I was better than my mates! But with the different competitions I did play with some good players, who didn't make it for whatever reason. I was lucky enough to be able to do what I love, and my mates have continued to play at a lower level and really enjoy it, I know that's exactly what I'd be doing if I wasn't here today.

SB: Your currently wearing the Puma PowerCat football boots, how are finding them?

PC: Yeah I love them. I've been working with puma for a few years now and I was in the speed boot, which is fantastic as well. But I like the PowerCat, they're comfortable and solid, the main thing is the comfort because you just go out there and play, and feel as if there's nothing on your feet.

SB: What made you change out of the speed boot? PC: To be honest I enjoyed wearing speed boots, I wore them at the World Cup in Germany. But I just thought the PowerCat and the leather was a top class boot. SB:Do you have a preferred colour? PC: Well they change the colours a lot. I've seen one coming out that I think is white and blue, and that looks like a really nice boot. But I grew up wearing the Puma King which was a fantastic boot for me, the black boot was always classic. Although now you seem to see players in every colour boot apart from black, for me black is classic and that would be my choice. SB: Speaking of classic boots, back in the day did you have to clean any players boots?

PC: Yes I did when I was a trainee at Tottenham, I cleaned David Ginola's and David Howells. All the lads wanted Les Ferdinand to be honest, because he was the best tipper at Christmas, Ginola wasn't bad to be fair he gave you (a few quid) But they were good to work for.

SB: Before the days of being a trainee, which players did you look up to?

PC: In the playground it was always Paul Gascoigne, 'Gazza' was top class. Then there was going to watch Chelsea and Kerry Dixon was the main man there, I was a big fan of his, but if I was in the playground and wanted to beat guys and score goals then Gazza was my idol.

SB: Are you looking forward to the challenge at Stoke?

PC: Yes I can't wait to be honest, it's a club on the up and moving forward, plus we've signed some good players. I'm looking forward to the new challenge. I've trained a few times, the managers a good character, and the lads have really helped me settle in, so I've been enjoying it and can't wait for the first game.

SB: Did you already have friends at the club?

PC: Yes there are a few lads I know from being at different clubs and from England. There's Jonathan Woodgate, Jermain Pennant, and Rory delap and Danny Higginbotham from Southampton. So there's quite a few players that I know and it makes it a lot easier to settle in.

SB: Finally, do you still retain ambitions with England?

PC: Yes that will never change, playing for my country is the pinnacle of anyone's career. There's a major tournament coming up so I'm looking forward to being a part of that, which will hopefully be the case if I'm playing well for Stoke.

Peter Crouch was taking part in a FA Mars Just Play session at Wembley with Mars competition winners. Search online for Just Play.