Peter Crouch: Stoke future, form, and playing for a 'few more years'
Monday 20 November 2017 19:22, UK
Peter Crouch says he is "appreciating" football more than ever and wants to keep playing for several years, even though his Stoke future is unclear.
Crouch, who is out of contract next summer, will turn 37 in January and is yet to start a Premier League game this season for Stoke, who travel to Brighton on Monday Night Football.
However, he is the club's joint-top scorer, having scored three times in the league after coming off the bench.
And, speaking to Sky Sports, he revealed how much he is enjoying playing at the moment.
"When you do see the end and get past a certain age it's a little bit scary and the minutes you get are more precious than they were 10 years ago," he said.
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"I appreciate them more than I did when I was 25. I want to stay in this game as long as I can.
"I don't think my attributes have changed and I haven't had many injuries, so if I can maintain that I can go on for a few years yet. I want to play at this level as long as I can.
"I love coming in every day training and playing the games. It's exciting, it's what I want to be doing."
I would like to get things sorted. I love it here and I don't see any real reason to move.
Although Crouch is appreciating his time on the pitch, he does admit that he would like to have more of it.
"I still feel great and hungry enough to be starting games. That's what I want to do," he said.
"When I have got in the side I have felt I have done well, but for whatever reason we change things and I have to be ready to come off the bench.
"I think I am the closest I have been to starting a game, putting pressure on the manager by coming on and doing ok and scoring goals, so hopefully I have put enough pressure on him to warrant a start, and I hope that's on Monday at Brighton."
Asked about his contract situation, Crouch added: "I would like to get things sorted. I love it here and I don't see any real reason to move.
"If I was getting no minutes it would be difficult but I am playing games and knocking on the door to start games. I am happy here so I would probably like to stay. If things aren't sorted out before January I would have to look at options, but I am happy here and hope the club feel the same."
Crouch's goals have been crucial for Stoke this season, with the striker scoring two late equalisers and also a winner against Southampton.
Even though the Potters are 14th in the table, Crouch expects them to start climbing soon.
"We have been in the Premier League a long time now and we would like to be in the category of a top-10 side," he said.
"Last year we fell a bit short of that but the previous years the manager has been here we have finished ninth and we wanted to build on that. It was a little blip last year and it's been indifferent this year so far, but hopefully we will hit a run of form and get to where I believe we should be, which is in the top 10."
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