? Tottenham team-mates banter ahead of Euro 2012 qualifier
? 'Gareth is top class and he can really hurt you,' says striker
Peter Crouch is desperate for England to beat Wales in Saturday's Euro 2012 qualifier to avoid being taunted by his Tottenham team-mate Gareth Bale.
The striker is aware of the threat that Bale ? and Crouch's former Liverpool team-mate Craig Bellamy ? can pose to England's hopes but is confident Fabio Capello's side will take another step towards securing a place in Poland and Ukraine at the Millennium Stadium this weekend.
"Gareth is top class and he can really hurt you. He travels with the ball so well, he has got fantastic technical ability," said Crouch. "His pace and energy just scares teams to death. It is a shame at times he is not English.
"He is a player we will have to watch out for. He has done it at the top level before and I'm sure he'll have no problems doing it again. But we will be able to cope with him, I'm sure, and have an emphasis on our attacking play."
Crouch added: "We've had some bits of banter about it in the changing room at Tottenham. I've been giving Gareth quite a bit of stick during this past week. It would be horrible if we lost or even drew the game, given the amount of stick I've given out to him because I know what to expect back."
Crouch is well aware of Bellamy's sometimes explosive temperament but has nothing but admiration for his qualities. He believes the forward is too good a player to remain in the Championship after joining Cardiff on loan from Manchester City.
"Craig is a character and, from my time at Liverpool, I can only speak highly of him," said Crouch. "He is a good lad and the only reason he is how he is on the pitch is because he wants to win and he is a winner. I can't see him playing in the Championship for too long. He is too good a player for that."
Wales are ranked 116th in the world and have lost their opening three qualifiers, but Crouch feels that will count for little on Saturday. He said: "I don't think we will be looking at that stat. We know a lot of their players and they will be able to raise their game.
"They've lost the previous three games but make no mistake, this won't be like any of the previous three games. It will be a derby and a lot of times the underdog can come through and win and we've got to make sure that doesn't happen."
Crouch has scored 22 goals in 42 internationals for England but has struggled to hold down a regular spot. He added: "I'll always keep coming to England, always enjoy playing for England. When the call-up comes, I'm always very proud and even, if I get five minutes, I'll be happy with that.
"You can get a bit frustrated because I've felt I've always done well and always given a good account of myself for England. I've always been proud of my goal record for England and when given the opportunity, I don't think I've let anyone down. Hopefully I get more opportunities in the future."
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/mar/23/peter-crouch-england-wales
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