Peter Crouch: No more nightclubs for me before World Cup

Peter Crouch has promised not to go out nightclubbing again before the World Cup.

Crouch admitted Spurs boss Harry Redknapp branded him an “idiot“ after being pictured dancing in London club Movida until the early hours last month.

England boss Fabio Capello is known to be a tough disciplinarian and, while he has not said anything about it, Crouch admits he will be keeping his head down from now on.

“We’re all human at the end of the day, but it’s difficult keeping your head down when you’re 6ft 7in,” smiled Crouch, preparing for Saturday’s friendly with Brazil in Qatar.

Crouch’s night out with Tottenham team mate Jonathan Woodgate came after Spurs’ victory at Portsmouth and was a week ahead of their next game against Stoke City.

But Redknapp had put a ban on his players boozing in clubs after captain Ledley King was pictured after a big night out.

Crouch insists he was not boozing but has learnt a big lesson from the whole furore as he battles for a place in England’s World Cup squad next summer.

When asked whether he was worried about what Capello would make of the pictures, Crouch said: “Yes, of course. But he’s not said anything to me. Harry just said: ’You’re an idiot, move on.’ Quite straight forward.

“That’s all we need to say about it. I don’t know what Fabio would think. It was eight days before the next game. I’ve not covered myself in glory, but I haven’t killed anyone, although sometimes I feel like I have.

“I’m human at the end of the day. It won’t happen again. Harry was alright with it. We were going out with all the lads, as a team. It probably escalated a bit more than I would have planned.

“We’re human. After a game you want to relax and unwind. If you don’t have a game until the following weekend, you can go out and relax. It can’t be football, football, football.

“In a World Cup year, though, we want to be as focused as we possibly can. Nothing like that would happen if there was a midweek game.

“Being a World Cup year, we want to concentrate on football matters. It won’t happen again.”

Crouch and the England players head out to dry state Qatar today for Saturday’s prestige friendly with Brazil and the Spurs striker admits he will have to prove himself all over again.

Former Liverpool striker Crouch has a remarkable record for England with 16 goals in 17 starts but his place always seems to be in doubt.

Capello appears to have been won round by Crouch in recent games but the beanpole striker still feels he has a lot to prove ahead of the World Cup.

Crouch said: “There is an element of that. Every player for England, it’s a new game every time you pull the shirt on. You have to do as well as you can in every game.

“I’m obviously very proud of the goals I’ve scored for England and my record. I don’t think: ’what more can I do.’ I just want to continue, really.

“I always feel confident I will get chances and, when I’m given those chances, I’ll take them.”

Despite Crouch’s record there remains a doubt over his inclusion in the World Cup squad and yet very little reason why as to Capello has not always been his biggest fan.

Rather like his former boss at Anfield, Rafa Benitez, Capello is a man of few words which is in stark contrast to Redknapp who is renowned as a great man manager at Spurs.

Crouch admits he prefers Redknapp’s approach to Benitez’s but still wants to see Liverpool do well and only had praise for his former club, despite the Kop boss’s current problems.

Crouch added: “Benitez is the type of manager, similar to the England manager perhaps. You do have to work hard to get a ’well done’. That’s the way Rafa plays it, and he’s done exceptionally well.

“I’d rather have Harry’s approach. It’s easier to deal with someone like Harry because he’s so open.

“I can go and talk to him and he can explain to him why I’m left out and if I’m playing well. Rafa keeps his cards to his chest.

“But I have a great deal of affection for that club. When I first went there, the way the fans were to me. I found it difficult to score in the first part of my time there and the fans were fantastic to me.

“I went on to score a good amount of goals and had the best years of my career. I’d love to see them win the league.”