Crouch hungry for England recall

Crouch’s first team opportunities have so far been limited to three successive late substitute appearances without a goal, with Spurs boss Harry Redknapp preferring the strike partnership of Robbie Keane and former Pompey strike partner Jermain Defoe.

And in a video available to watch in FourFourTwo.com's extensive interviews section, the forward reveals that he hopes a consistent run of games will allow him to establish himself in Capello’s plans for the friendly against Slovenia in two weeks time, and, more importantly, the World Cup qualifier against Croatia four days later.

“The important thing is that I need to be playing regularly for my club, scoring goals and playing well," he says.

“It’s been difficult because I didn’t have a pre-season at all. I played one half at Olympiakos and then went straight into the season.

“I think that held me back a bit, but now I feel fit, I feel ready and when I start and get a run of games I’m confident that I’ll be back in the [England] set-up."

Having been a consistent member of Capello’s squads since the Italian took charge, Crouch is now facing increasing competition from the likes of Carlton Cole, Emile Heskey, Wayne Rooney and team-mate Jermain Defoe.

Defoe has particularly impressed the England manager this season, scoring four goals in three Premier League starts for Spurs, added to the impressive second-half brace for England in Amsterdam.

Crouch hopes that the pair can reinvigorate the successful partnership that they enjoyed under Redknapp at former club Portsmouth last term.

“Hopefully we can link up at Spurs as well as we did at Portsmouth. We’ve got a good goal record together and he’s been fantastic, on absolute fire," he says.

“If we are playing together and scoring goals its obviously something for the manager to think about, but we’ve got a lot of fantastic players with England who all want to play in two spaces, so it's difficult.

“But if myself and Jermain are scoring goals and playing well then it’s something for both managers to think about."

Redknapp is set to rest key players for the trip to the Keepmoat Stadium, with Crouch in the frame to make his first start for the club.

The North London side will be keen to continue the rich vein of form that has seen them move to the top of the Premier League.

To watch the video, see FourFourTwo.com's ever-expandinginterviews section. Also therein: Why Crouchy made awooden pencil case.

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