Crouch hints at Reds exit despite contract offer on table
Peter Crouch has cast doubt over his future with Liverpool
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Monday, 07, Apr 2008 09:21
England striker Peter Crouch has hinted he may be forced to leave Liverpool this summer in order to revive his international career.
Despite the 27-year-old being offered a new contract by manager Rafael Benitez, Crouch has questioned the wisdom in remaining with the Anfield outfit if he continues to play a bit-part role.
His international career has floundered slightly since his last start for England at home to Croatia in the final match of Steve McClaren's ill-fated reign as manager.
And under new coach Fabio Capello he is yet to be offered a starting berth, instead playing as an impact substitute in friendlies against both Switzerland and France.
Crouch believes he will find it tough to force his way into the England coach's thinking unless he is playing regular first-team football, which he does not believe will be possible under Benitez.
"I would love to stay, it is a fantastic club and I love everything about it, but I have got to be realistic," Crouch admitted.
"If I want to have any aspirations of playing for England, or furthering my career, then I have to be playing - and that doesn't seem to be the case at the moment."
Crouch admitted that continually being dropped from, and reinstated to, the starting XI was "disheartening".
But he vowed to maintain the goalscoring form he has showed when given an opportunity, such as against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in the 1-1 league draw on Saturday.
"Obviously if the manager plays one up front, he is more than likely to go with Fernando [Torres] - and rightly so, he's been fantastic this season," the England man continued.
"Before when he was rotating at least I was getting a game here and there. But the manager's obviously stuck with a formation now that seems to be working, and credit to the players that have been playing in that system.
"We have certainly been playing well and I think we have got a great chance of going through to the semi-finals now in Europe.
"But for me, I will just have to obviously keep working hard and try and change his mind."
Despite raising questions over his future on Merseyside, Crouch allayed fears that it would prove a distraction for him for the run-in to the end of the season.
"I will have to look at it - but that's certainly something I won't be doing now, I will be doing it at the end of the season," he continued.
"At the moment I am concentrating on winning something for Liverpool and playing some part in the end of the season.
"We have got a Champions League run-in now and it's exciting for us, and all my efforts are focused on that."