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What Peter Crouch said two days before retirement… and which club he was ‘waiting’ on
PETER CROUCH announced his retirement on Friday afternoon two days after he told Express Sport, in typical Crouchy style, that he was waiting on Real Madrid to save him from free agency.
Peter Crouch announces his retirement from football
Crouch called it a day on his 21-year professional career two weeks after Burnley released him from Turf Moor.
The 6ft 7in striker became a fan favourite at most clubs he represented for his self-deprecating humour and ability to pop up with important goals.
The 38-year-old released a book titled ‘How to be a Footballer’ last year and started a podcast aptly titled ‘That Peter Crouch Podcast’ to promote it.
Things have snowballed since with Crouch teaming up with Gabby Logan and John Bishop in a new Tuesday night Premier League show from August on Amazon Prime titled ‘Back of the Net’.
I’m sort of waiting for Real Madrid and if they don’t come in then I’ll look at it!
At a press junket on Wednesday publicising the new show, Crouch said: “I’ve done my coaching badges and I’ve sort of dipped my toe in with this kind of stuff. But I’ve found I’m really sort of enjoying it.
“I’m sort of waiting for Real Madrid and if they don’t come in then I’ll look at it!
“It’s one of those things where I don’t even know how to go about being retired.
“Nothing could ever replicate playing football – 23 years I’ve done it every single day of my life.
“To then go ‘ah, that’s it’… I’m finding it very difficult to do. It’s one of those where I’m not saying anything yet, I’m just going with the flow.
“I’m sorting of just going along with it at the moment. If a real opportunity came about then I could do it – I'm not against that because it’s what I love doing.
“But the stuff I’m doing at the moment is definitely a path that I could go down that I’m enjoying.”
As well as a big sports personality, Crouch goes down as one of England’s most prolific international strikers.
Peter Crouch previews his book 'How to Be a Footballer'
The former Liverpool frontman bagged 22 goals in 42 England appearances but is now set to make it big on screen and radio.
Speaking of his growing media career, he said: “Last season I had a book out and I only really did the podcast to promote the book.
“And then the podcast sort of grew legs as well. Then lots of other opportunities have come about and I haven’t retired yet but I’m sort of more than dipping my toe in now.
“I’m doing things a bit more and it’s something where I didn’t know which way I was going to go.”