PETER CROUCH ON WAY OUT

England striker blasts Portsmouth

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By ANDY DUNN, 13/06/2009

PETER CROUCH is heading for the Portsmouth exit door after launching an astonishing attack on the club.

The England striker is disgusted by events at Fratton Park, claiming he DOESN'T know who:

The manager is.

The owners are.

His team-mates are going to be.

He does not believe Pompey could have taken a bigger backward step and that surely signals a move for Crouch, who is being pursued by a string of top clubs - including Spurs.

Crouch is now on holiday after scoring in England's romp against Andorra on Wednesday but he will demand showdown talks as soon he returns.

The trouble is he does not have a clue who to speak to. And, for him, that sums up the chaos at the club.

Crouch said: "There are 15 players out of contract at the end of the season - no one knows who the manager is, we don't even know who the owner is to be honest. So anyone who is at the club wants reassurances about what is going to happen in the summer.

GOING, GOING, GONE - Jermain Defoe (left) has already left Portsmouth and will soon be followed by Glen Johnson

"And I'll certainly be asking. I need to find out."

And he will be asking why he was sold a pup when he signed for Portsmouth in an £11million deal just under a year ago.

Crouch went on: "I'm really disappointed to be honest. We had Harry Redknapp, Jermain Defoe and Lassana Diarra were there, we were in Europe and there were ambitions for the club really going forward. Instead it has taken a backward step."

And that is why Crouch, 28, will assess his options when he returns from his break. He said: "I've got to look at it in the summer. We need to sign a great deal . . . we need some players, without a doubt.

"That's plain for everyone to see. Everybody who is a Portsmouth player wants to find out what is going on. Hopefully, things can turn around with prospective new owners. We need to strengthen the side. But I've no idea about the new owners."

The club has been sold to United Arab Emirates businessman Sulaiman Al-Fahim but concrete details of the future under the new proprietor have yet to emerge.

With Glen Johnson almost certain to depart - and no full-time manager in place - Crouch knows that Portsmouth face a season of struggle.

And that is the last thing the striker wants as he tries to cement a place in Fabio Capello's suqad for next summer's World Cup finals in South Africa. He explained: "If I'm going to have a chance of playing for England, I need to be playing well.

"What I don't need is to be fighting relegation."

Your comments

This article has 15 comments

If Harry is after more players from Pompey ! why did he go in the first place, he should have stayed with Pompey and the player`s he`d got. Before much longer he will try to rename Spurs PORTSMOUTH FOOTBALL CLUB .

By David Webster.. Posted June 14 2009 at 6:59 PM.

Sell crouch for £10m and sign Cameron Jerome from Birmingham for £8m and its problem solved.Cam-Jam is 6ft 2,strong, quick,young and has an eye for goal...He's a class act..sign him now Pompey1

By Mike Hunt.. Posted June 14 2009 at 4:37 PM.

they deserve to go down in my opinion

By jordan.. Posted June 14 2009 at 2:39 PM.

its simple if ANY player dos'nt want to play for pompey then clear off and join the judas at spurs.

By john price.. Posted June 14 2009 at 1:41 PM.

crouch and johnson should be lucky that they have played 1st team football all season at fratton, while crouch was at scousetown and johnson was at the shed both were languishing on the bench most of the season
so lets see a bit of loyalty from both these players

By alan forbes.. Posted June 14 2009 at 11:41 AM.

Why would he sign for a small club like stoke. When north east giants SUNDERLAND would welcome him.

By Geoff.. Posted June 14 2009 at 11:12 AM.

Crouch says he doesnt know who is in charge of the club at the moment, and so cant get any re-assurances on the future, and yet Peter Storrie was on national radio proudly announcing that Glen Johnson would be sold to a club playing Champions League football by next Tuesday.
WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON AT THE CLUB. !!!!

By CONFUSED.. Posted June 14 2009 at 10:50 AM.

Crouch claims he wants re-assurance. But what about the fans ? His comments just make us feel more and more doubt over the clubs future. Weve supported players like crouch through thick and thin, now its time to give something back.

By ryan wilkins.. Posted June 14 2009 at 10:43 AM.

crouchy shouldnt have left liverpool but it was his chose at the end of the day but he should forget england and stick by pompey in their struggle
im a baggies fan so im neutral

By sean.. Posted June 14 2009 at 8:47 AM.

Haha, love it Paul - on his way to Stoke!!! Well yeah after his game for England I think he should keep his mouth shut!!! It's a takeover, nothing's gonna happen in a bloody day!!!
Grrr CROUCH!!!

By Jb.. Posted June 14 2009 at 8:59 AM.

Is this another one Harry Redknapp is trying to tap up? A couple of weeks ago, Crouchy was saying how happy he was and why would he want to go anywhere.

...and they have the nerve to say supporters are fickle!!

By Pierre.. Posted June 14 2009 at 7:52 AM.

Having seen Crouch play I don't think he's got anything to complain about.He should thank his lucky stars that he's had a great career out of the game,and that he gets a fantastic weekly wage from such limited talent.

By Mike.. Posted June 14 2009 at 7:34 AM.

As it is likely to be mid July before the takeover is sorted (if it actually takes place), the club will be in limbo. How many others feel like Crouch I wonder.

By Ed Thompson.. Posted June 14 2009 at 7:25 AM.

Least he has a club. ow about us down the road at St Marys, its a lot worse.

By Paul.. Posted June 14 2009 at 5:43 AM.

Hes on his way to Stoke

By Steve Oliver.. Posted June 13 2009 at 11:33 PM.

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