Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher called out Liverpool signings as ‘s***’ after one training session, reveals Peter Crouch… who says the Reds duo, John Terry and Frank Lampard ‘didn’t ENJOY football’
- Ex-Liverpool star Peter Crouch has opened up on the high standards at the club
- Crouch added some signings would be written off after just one training session
- He said Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher called players ‘s***’ in front of the team
- The 41-year-old discussed top-level players like John Terry and Frank Lampard
- Crouch insisted it didn’t look like those stars enjoyed playing football like he did
Peter Crouch has opened up on the brutal culture at Liverpool that saw some new signings labelled as ‘s***’ after just one training session.
The former Reds striker discussed the rigidly high standards at Anfield led by club legends Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher, who were not afraid to call players out in front of the whole squad or write them off very early into their Liverpool career.
And Crouch told Steven Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO podcast that Gerrard and Carragher’s elite mentality – along with the likes of former Chelsea pair John Terry and Frank Lampard – meant it looked like they did not enjoy playing football.
Former Liverpool and England striker Peter Crouch (pictured) has opened up on the brutal culture at the club that saw some new players labelled as ‘s***’ after just one training session
Crouch revealed club legends Jamie Carragher (left) and Steven Gerrard (right) set the standards at the club and were not afraid to call team-mates out in front of the entire squad
Retired 6ft 7ins forward Crouch was speaking on Steven Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO podcast
He said: ‘I saw something in those players that was slightly different to me. I enjoyed what I was doing. I looked at the top, top level players that I played with and they never looked like they enjoyed it, ever.
‘Gerrard, Carragher, John Terry, Lampard – it was always the next game, and that’s the top level mentality you need to have.
‘For me, at times I’d go “we’ve won this lads, let’s enjoy this one a little bit” (but) they’d already be thinking “yeah that was good, but it’s about the next one”. It’s always about the next one.
‘I admire that in people. I had a steely mentality but I also thought, what are we doing it for? Yeah, of course it’s about winning trophies but it’s also about this moment. Let’s celebrate this moment.’
Crouch admitted new players brought in wouldn’t get many chances to impress at Liverpool
Crouch, 41, spent three seasons at Liverpool from 2005 to 2008, scoring 42 goals in 134 appearances in all competitions.
The 6ft 7ins forward, capped 42 times by England, won the FA Cup and Community Shield during his time at Anfield, finishing as runner-up in the 2006-07 Champions League and FIFA World Club Championship.
And Crouch went on to describe in detail the cut-throat environment at the Merseyside club.
He added: ‘Some players like Steven Gerrard – prime example – just a constant, where it looked like there was no enjoyment.
And the 41-year-old claimed the Reds duo and ex-Chelsea pair Frank Lampard (left) and John Terry (right) looked like they didn’t enjoy football because of their ‘never satisfied’ mentality
‘I’d class myself as an elite sportsman, but I’m talking top, top and that’s why they are who they are. (They’re) so intense.
‘Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher (could be) quite ruthless and quite harsh in their appraisal of some players, so I found myself constantly seeking their approval. Some people didn’t understand the level of passion and the standards they had.
‘Unfortunately, if you want to play for Liverpool, you have to have a way about you and a certain standard and if you fall below that standard then players like Steven and Jamie would tell you very quickly. (In front of everyone?) Yeah.
‘I’ve seen players be signed and be written off in one training session. You know, £15million players coming in and ‘he’s s***’. You wouldn’t get many chances. But then, I’ve also seen players written off and then come back.’