Rumours are circulating that Peter Crouch will call time on his England career. Should these come to fruition, could we be saying goodbye to one of the unluckiest, unappreciated and unique England players of his generation?
On paper, his record for England is good. He has scored 22 goals in 44 appearances, which reads particularly well compared to Jermain Defoe (15 goals in 46 appearances), who was preferred throughout the World Cup.
So why is it that he has struggled to keep his name in the starting eleven? Why has his international career never hit the heights he might feel he deserved?
Arguably his most obvious physical asset on the pitch had pigeon holed him into a role that understates his natural talent.
His extraordinary height meant that England managers have been afraid to utilise him on a regular basis, perhaps concerned at how the public would react.
‘All he has got is his height’ or ‘We’re reverting to the long ball game’ were criticisms frequently thrown about and he was cruelly considered a last resort on many an international.
But his ability on the ball was always underestimated, often using his quick feet to maintain possession and set up dangerous attacks.
Another one of his attributes was using his exceptional control to bring other players into the game, a skill that many England coaches have tried to exploit in the past and present.
Emile Heskey was preferred for this role in the lead up to the World Cup, yet his proven profligacy in front of goal meant that the choice seemed bizarre.
If there was a microcosm of his international career it would have been his presence at the World Cup in South Africa.
The selection of Defoe to replace Heskey after the disaster of the opening World Cup game against the USA would have been a kick in the teeth for Crouch, especially when he would score the winner against Slovenia.
He was on the pitch for a grand total of 17 minutes during the campaign, as he watched his team mates woefully play their way out of the World Cup.
Although he might have a right to feel aggrieved at how he was treated during his international career, there are some reasons that can justify the lack of consistency on the England team sheet.
His partnership with Wayne Rooney has yielded little joy in the past, winning three out of the six matches they have started together, scoring five goals with three coming in a 6-0 win against Andorra.
Rooney would never be sacrificed in favour of Crouch meaning that for all his impressive performances in an England shirt, he was always going to be competing against the best of the rest to fill that other striker spot and his record with Rooney is not good enough.
If we have seen the last of Crouch in an England shirt, then we have seen the last of a unique striker with ability that was never quite uncovered to the extent required at international level.
Let’s just hope that he isn’t remembered for that insufferable robot dance.
ThisisFutbol.com are seeking new writers to join the team! If you’re passionate about football, drop us a line at “thisisfutbol.com@snack-media.com” to learn more.
To have a peak at the top SEVEN available FREE TRANSFERS this summer, click here.