Take Away English-On the Road to Germany 走向德国世界杯（在线收听）

Peter Crouch in action, photo by Phil Chambers

“He’s big, he’s red; his feet stick out the bed! Peter Crouch, Peter Crouch!”

That’s what Liverpool Football Club fans sing about their team’s striker, Peter Crouch, and standing at 2.01 meters it’s no wonder. Crouch is the tallest man ever to have played in the English Premiership and for the national squad.

Although he has been described as gangly and ungainly, he has silenced his critics with two outstanding performances in recent pre-World Cup ‘friendlies’ against Hungary and Jamaica.

He opened his account with a fantastic goal against Hungary in the 84th minute of the match. However, if the goal was spectacular, the celebration was even more remarkable. Crouch ran to the touchline and began to dance ‘robotics’, apparently parodying the dance moves with which he had impressed the rest of the team at David and Victoria Beckham’s pre-World Cup party.

“The Crouch”, as the dance has come to be known, was seen again during England’s 6-0 victory over Jamaica when the lanky striker scored a hat-trick. He might easily have scored a fourth but missed a penalty.

Despite the missed penalty, Crouch has earned his boss’s approval and won a place in the starting line-up for England’s first World Cup game against Paraguay.

“Peter had a fantastic game. He had almost everything in the air and scored goals. I think he will start next Saturday. He deserves it”, said Sven Goran Eriksson, the England head coach.

English hopes have also been raised by the return to training of Wayne Rooney. The 20 year-old Manchester United star has been out of action since fracturing a bone in his foot in May. He has received intensive medical attention including sleeping in an oxygen chamber to help the injury to heal.

England fans are praying that he will come off the bench to join the rest of the team in winning the World Cup for England.