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Setanta Sports is the only place that you can watch England’s World Cup qualifiers on the road live. Here, recently recalled squad member Peter Crouch exclusively tells us why he thinks Fabio Capello is the man to lead England to South Africa.  

Peter, how have things changed with the England set up since Capello took over?

He has brought in a few changes and some new rules. Work on the training field is a bit different - a probably more Italian way of playing. Hopefully we’ll take to his ideas as quickly as possible and improve.

Would you say that this ‘Italian way of playing’ has come across well?

Of course. He has a winning mentality. If you look at what he has won in the past he’s been there, he’s seen it and he’s done it. Hopefully he’ll be able to get across that winning mentality to his players so that we can become a winning team.

Obviously we have played some decent football, but the most important thing is to win, and at times it doesn’t matter how you play as long as you get the right result.

Would you agree that discipline is important to Capello?

Yes it is. He’s certainly not someone that you’d want to cross. He has his way of playing and he tells us that’s how he wants it and that he’s going to stick to it. That’s fair enough. He has his ideas and he’s not going to put up with anyone trying to change them, especially given the success he’s had with them in the past.

Of course there is discipline, but some people seem to think that there was indiscipline before, but that was never the case.

Being a serious character, does Capello ever have any light hearted moments? 

Sure. I’ve seen him have a laugh and a joke. But as soon as you get on the training pitch or a match situation then you’ve got to be switched on, which all the players and staff realise.

But away from the game he can have a bit of banter here and there like any other squad. The boys love a bit of banter but you’ve got to have discipline.

So do you fancy your chances of qualify for the World Cup with him in charge?

Well, it’s a clean slate for us now. We’ve had the shock of not qualifying for the Euros. It was a huge shock for us and a massive blow to the whole nation really. We can’t have that happen again. The agony of watching the European Championships and not being there was a huge blow.

But we’ve got the World Cup to look forward to now and we’ve got to make sure that we qualify for it because we can’t let that happen again.

Do you think there’s any truth to the to the suggestions that the England team is full of egos and that the players can’t play as a team?

No, not at all to be honest. If you look at the players that get that said about them, they are fantastic players. People say there are egos and other things, but that only comes from people outside the dressing room. But when you’re in the dressing room, there’s certainly no one that’s above anyone else, right from whether it’s your first cap to your 99^th.

Everyone’s the same, everyone’s a team and whoever is playing the best at that time will get the shirt. I think the manager has shown that he’s not afraid to put anyone new in or someone in because he thinks he can do a better job than anyone else. Who you are doesn’t make you exempt from getting dropped. The dressing room is a happy place and full of people who all want to play.

So do you have any idea why England have fallen short in recent times?

It’s difficult you know. If I knew why then I’d be the manager. We’ve sold ourselves short. On paper we’ve got the players that everyone believes can win a European Championships or a World Cup but we haven’t got to that stage. But hopefully now we can do that. But first obviously we need to qualify for a tournament like the World Cup and make sure that we’re prepared and we’re ready to have a good tournament.

Do you feel that your height has been an advantage or a disadvantage to you?

An advantage right from the start. Aerially, winning headers and what have you, that’s always going to help you, but I’ve always felt that I could play as well. So I’m certainly happy being tall and a little bit different.

Does it annoy you that people refer to you as having a ‘good touch for a big man’ rather than just saying that you have a good touch?

Not really, I’m happy as long as they say it’s a good touch and I don’t mind if they chuck a ‘big man’ in there as well. Rather that than a ‘bad touch for a big man’!

Is it true that you once said that if you weren’t a footballer you’d be a virgin?

Yes. People always ask me that! I said that once and everyone loves it.

Given the media interest in you and your partner Abi Clancy, how do you feel about your celebrity status?

I don’t think too much about it to be honest. I’ve noticed that when you go out people take a few more photographs of you than before. But for me nothing much has changed. Apart from sometimes someone will jump out from a bush and take your picture! Which is a bit strange, but other than that, nothing really.

You don’t find there are any intrusions into your personal life?

No. It seems that a lot more people know me. Whereas before football people knew me, now it seems that everyone knows me.

Might have had something to do with that robotic dance….

Yeah, yeah. Ever since that dance it’s just escalated.

Is your ability to articulate yourself well something you’ve been trained in by your football clubs or have you always been a good communicator?

You don’t get any training for the football clubs. You might get it now coming through the youth team, but when I was a kid growing up it was all about playing football, it wasn’t about doing interviews.

But I was lucky in that I went to a decent school and my family always made sure that we could string a sentence together.  

 

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Tags: England, Fabio Capello, Football, Peter Crouch, World Cup

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