Mark Hughes believes Peter Crouch could yet make England’s World Cup squad this summer, due to his impressive form for Stoke City.
The 6ft 7in frontman has a good record at international level, scoring 22 goals in 42 appearances for the Three Lions. However, he won the last of these caps way back in November 2010 when Fabio Capello selected him for the friendly match with France, and Roy Hodgson has since neglected to call him into any of his squads.
But speaking after Crouch played a pivotal role in Stoke’s 4-1 win at Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon, Hughes has advised Hodgson that he could do a lot worse than give the 33-year-old a plane ticket for Brazil. And the Welshman is prepared to give the former Liverpool forward a glowing reference should the England boss seek his opinion.
“He is an international-class player, he has proven that at international level,” said Hughes. “He has a great record for England. Maybe his time has come and gone, but if he was asked to go I am sure he would go. If anyone rang me up and wanted a view on whether or not I think Peter should go to the World Cup, I can obviously give them a very positive one.”
In the event Hodgson picks four strikers for the World Cup, there is probably just one place up for grabs as Manchester United duo Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck, together with Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge, are certainties. Crouch would therefore be fighting West Ham United’s Andy Carroll, Southampton’s Rickie Lambert, and Jermain Defoe, who has recently left Tottenham Hotspur for Toronto, for the final place in the squad.
