Classy Crouch should be in England squad says Blackburn Rovers boss (From This Is Lancashire)

Classy Crouch should be in England squad says Blackburn Rovers boss

8:44am Monday 21st December 2009

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SAM Allardyce has urged Fabio Capello to include Peter Crouch in England’s World Cup squad – after claiming his class in front of goal was the only difference on Saturday.

The Spurs striker scored in each half as Blackburn Rovers slipped to just their third home defeat in Allardyce’s 12 months in time, with a little bit of help from referee Mr Walton.

Allardyce was furious Crouch’s opener had been allowed to stand, after a foul on skipper Ryan Nelsen, but the Rovers boss was also left envious of the striker’s clinical finishing.

Crouch (right) found the net with all three of his chances at Ewood Park on Saturday, although one was ruled out for offside, while Rovers were again made to pay for several missed opportunities.

Allardyce said: “There is no doubt in my mind that he should go to the World Cup. He is a good target man who can also score goals.

“He has done the critical bit today, hasn't he? Even though the first goal should have been a free-kick to us, he still could have missed it but he punished us.

“The ref has punished us by not spotting the foul and Crouchie has punished us with the quality of his header.

“You saw as well the quality of his header which was disallowed for offside and then his quality on the deck when he finished after getting through one-on -one on the goalie at a critical time.

“He showed his composure and his ability has paid off for Tottenham in this game. “He is the difference why Spurs have got the three points and we have come away with nothing.”

Allardyce had already admitted he would have loved to bring Crouch to Ewood this summer, as a replacement for Roque Santa Cruz, but the striker’s price tag made it an impossible dream.

He does though remember a time when Crouch was in his price range and still regrets a failure to snap him up.

“I remember coming up against him at Bolton when we were in the Second Division in 1999, playing QPR away,” he said.

“I wanted the chairman at Bolton to buy him for £1m. I then wanted the chairman at Bolton to buy him for £2.5m from Villa before he went to Southampton.

“At the time I was told we didn't have the money.”

Allardyce continued: “I have always known what a good player he is and he showed it again today. He is not just a good player - he is a class finisher.

“As the years have gone by, I think a player of his size and frame needed to get into his late twenties to develop fully.

“Because he is big, people think he should be strong but that doesn't naturally happen with someone who has a frame like him.”

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