Fratton Park has become a rehabilitation home of sorts, where out-of-favour footballers arrive and swiftly restore their self-confidence under the watchful eye of Harry Redknapp. Indeed, Portsmouth have built a very handsome squad as a result of talented players making the switch from so-called bigger clubs to a place which is slowly starting to imprint itself on the footballing map.
Many viewed Peter Crouch leaving Liverpool as a backward step in his career, but Sky Sports reports that the striker regards the move as the reason why he’s part of the England squad for the next two internationals. He’s gushing with compliments about Redknapp, who spared him yet another season of Anfield bench-warming, occasionally coming on for a cameo appearance.
“Harry Redknapp has been a big help to me,” said Crouch, who also played under Redknapp at Southampton in the 2004/05 season.
“I’ve played for Harry before and I felt he had got the best out of me so that was one of the reasons I joined Portsmouth.
“I believe for the rest of the season he will get the best out of me and a lot in terms of my England recall is down to him.”
Do any Liverpool fans wish that Crouchaldinho was still at the club, or has it worked out for the best that he’s been moved on and Robbie Keane has instead been brought into the squad? It’s clear that Benitez didn’t think that Crouch was compatible with Torres, although he did well at Anfield when given an opportunity, and many Portsmouth fans will be wondering just why he was allowed to leave in the summer.
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