Peter Crouch Quotes

I only started playing top football when I was 17 and a half.

People at school used to assume I was going to be a footballer, and it wasn't until I got to 16, when I was at Southampton, that I had a doubt for the first time in my life. Southampton said I wasn't big enough, but it was just because I hadn't grown. Simple as that.

I was 20 years old when I started playing in the Premier League. Maybe mentally I wasn't quite prepared for it, and that has earned me a reputation.

Real Madrid is a club where you have to go when you are mature and at the top of your game.

I got scouted at six by Everton. My parents said it was maybe a bit too young. A year later, I went down to trials at Everton and have been there ever since.

Eleventh grade is when I grew into my body. My athleticism and speed took off.

I first realised I was good at football when I started getting scouted by United, Liverpool, Everton; clubs like that had a lot of interest at an early age, and you kind of know then you're on the right path. I was about six years old and had to sign a contract at nine.

I've practically grown up with FC Bayern Munich since the age of 11. In my case, a talent scout noticed me when I was playing for a local youth team at Gern in Munich.

I believe cricket is a harder game. If at age six you started both sports you'd excel at golf more.

I always knew that my best tennis was going to be in my late 20s.

There are always late bloomers [in sport], no matter size, although big men are more often late bloomers.

No parent or coach can be true to any child and say he's ready for the N.F.L. out of high school.

Most of us have had that experience - at around puberty - of realising that, despite whatever efforts we put into our chosen sports, we will become at best competent.

Kids can have great passion and great ability but if you have the facilities for your particular sport that can give you the inspiration to become a sportsman.

I believe that, as an athlete, how you got to the age of 42 makes a big difference. I have learned about my body; I haven't gone off only talent until I was 42.

I hope I can develop here in the Premier League, and I hope I can be like those great legends one time in my career.

Matthijs is very mature for his age: he has the physique of a 24-year-old. He is also strong with both feet, has an extremely good range of passing, can head the ball, scores goals, and is a real leader at the back already at the age of 18.

When I was growing up Harlequins were interested in signing me because I was very fast and strong at an early age, but I wasn't interested in rugby at the time.

I was playing first-team football at Cardiff at 16.

I was a promising keeper as a kid and, at 15 and 16, was on the books of Crewe Alexandra.

My dad was a professional footballer before I was alive. When I was growing up, he was the one who coached and mentored me and helped me to become what I am today. Without his coaching and without his insight and the days and the hours that he put in with me, I wouldn't be the player that I am today.

Going to Cardiff was a really good experience for me. I managed to get quite a few games under my belt at Premier League level, which was good, and I feel like I've come back a better player.

The Premier League is what it is. Some people will see the intensity and quality as a great advantage for your players: it will make them better. Some will see it as a disadvantage because the players play at such a high level and such intensity, it's difficult for them to drum that up, that intensity, with a very short space of rest time.

I'm someone who has grown physically at a later age, I was always one of the smallest players.

I started to play at four years old. I went to Corinthians at nine years old. Then, it started to become more serious.