Crouch denies he’d ever turn his back on England
TOTTENHAM’S Peter Crouch insists he is fully committed to England but admits the thought of quitting international football has crossed his mind following his latest snub.
The 30-year-old boasts an impressive strike rate for his country having netted 22 goals in 42 games but has been constantly overlooked for selection in the last year by manager Fabio Capello.
Crouch didn’t even make the match-day squad, despite a striker shortage with Wayne Rooney suspended and Andy Carroll injured, for Saturday’s lacklustre Euro 2012 qualifying draw against Switzerland.
The striker admits he was disappointed to be have been omitted but said at no point will he follow the likes of Paul Robinson and Wes Brown and retire from England duty.
“I feel that whenever I’ve played for England, I’ve done well, so I felt maybe I’ve been slightly unfairly treated,” he said.
“Playing for England is the pinnacle of any [English] player’s career and I absolutely love doing it. If I get a minute on the pitch [for England], that’s great, if I get 90 that’s a lot better.
“I was disappointed, but I’ve got a long summer now to think about things and hopefully come back with a new attitude.”
He added: “Do I want to carry on playing for England? Yeah, of course. I would never give up playing for my country at any stage. It’s an honour.”