Peter Crouch led the Liverpool attacking line for three years, but has revealed that is the most responsibility he would ever want as a player.
Liverpool supporters must have wondered what they had got themselves in for when Crouch arrived at Anfield. The lofty striker bagged 16 goals in 33 appearances for Southampton, but failed to find the back of the net during his first 19 games in Merseyside.
Crouch eventually discovered his shooting boots, registering 42 goals and 23 assists in 134 appearances. During his Anfield tenure, the former England international lifted the FA Cup before re-joining his former club Portsmouth in 2008.
While relied upon to score goals, that was as far as Crouch’s responsibilities went. He would later go on to become an acting captain for Stoke City in some matches, but he never held the official role.
Speaking on his very own That Peter Crouch Podcast, Crouch revealed being a captain was never something he was interested in.
“I don’t get being a captain. It’s never really appealed to me. I don’t know what good comes out of it, apart from lifting a trophy.”
However, former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard might disagree. After all, the now retired midfielder is the longest serving skipper in the history of the club, holding the position for 12 years.
During that time, Gerrard lifted the Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup trophies — a point Crouch conceded was one good thing about being the captain.
Gerrard himself was delighted when he was first named as the captain of his boyhood club at just 23 years of age.
“I was captain of my school side and I used to go along to Anfield to watch the team and I always looked up to people like John Barnes who captained the team during the 90s. I used to watch Barnes with the captains armband and dream that one day it would be me captaining the team I love.
I’m delighted to be captain of Liverpool Football Club and I’m thrilled to be representing the fans on the pitch. Hopefully I can lift a trophy this season to say thanks for all the support from fans everywhere.”
Gerrard’s mind never changed, as he later went on to say that to be the captain of Liverpool is a very privileged position.
