Odds narrow on Crouch starting for England at World Cup

The England football team manager Fabio Capello has a dilemma, and it comes in the form of a 6ft 7in striker named Peter Crouch. The tallest player to ever wear the England shirt proved that he is more than deserving of a starting role in the opening match after scoring twice in the mid-week game against African champions Egypt.

The jury is now out on whether Crouch will start against the USA in England’s opening match on June 12 in Rustenburg. Sky Bet has put the odds at 13/8 that he will start in the match, but it is still thought to be unlikely. Crouch is also now at 100/1 at Bet365 to win the Golden Boot at the World Cup, which is not as far fetched as it may seem.

Looking at the stats, it’s difficult to see how Crouch could ever be left out of the squad. His two goals on Wednesday March 4 took his tally to 20 goals in 37 international matches, a phenomenal record. However, Capello is known to prefer the partnership of Wayne Rooney and Emile Heskey up front.

There is no doubt that Crouch faces some tough competition, but if he keeps on slotting the ball into the back of the net then there is a good chance he could force his way into the starting line-up. With less than 100 days to go, it’s going to be interesting to see what decision Capello takes.


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