Despite being 34 years old, Peter Crouch has been mentioned as a potential candidate for the upcoming England squad after his recent run of form.
The striker has scored three goals in his last three appearances for Stoke City. Even though England manager Roy Hodgson has a number of strikers at his disposal right now, the presence of Crouch provides a totally different perspective to the style of play.
However, the former Liverpool striker has ruled out the possibility of getting back to the national team – despite not officially retiring just yet – even with the good form.
Crouch has not been seen at international level since playing a friendly in 2010. He appears to have given up every hope of being called up at this time in his career. Roy Hodgson took over as the England boss in 2012 and since then he has not considered the player who has almost made 50 appearances for the national team. Given his age, it is highly likely that Hodgson will be looking at alternatives like Raheem Sterling and Charlie Austin as the options upfront. England will be looking to continue their impressive form in the Euro 2016 qualifiers when they take on Lithuania towards the end of March. Further, the three Lions also have a friendly against Italy.
“It’s still flattering to see my name mentioned when it comes to England squads. But I’ve come to realise I’m unlikely to ever play for my country again.My last cap was against France in November 2010, when I was aged 29. I came on as a substitute and scored within a minute. We lost 2-1 and I haven’t pulled on the white shirt since. I have always had a good record with England, scoring 22 times in 42 appearances. And even four-and-a-bit years on from my last appearance I think I’m more than capable of doing a job for my country,” said Crouch.