2006 FIFA WORLD CUP: ALLARDYCE: MY VERDICT ON KOP LIONS


Bolton manager Sam Allardyce has delivered his verdict on Liverpool's three World Cup lions and hailed Peter Crouch as the best striker in England right now.


Allardyce, a television pundit during the tournament, has watched England's progress to the final 16 with interest having been linked with the national manager's job earlier this year and this is his verdict on the Kop stars in Germany:


Jamie Carragher

"The ultimate utility player and a crucial part of the England camp. The Liverpool ace was called into against Trinidad for Gary Neville who has a lingering hamstring injury - and Carragher didn't let England down.

"He is a solid, reliable, dependable, defender and would be first-choice centre-half for any other country in the world. Jamie enjoys his defending, he likes getting stuck into tackles whereas some players these days don't seem to like breaking up attacks. Defending is a dying art in the game Jamie keeps alive."

Follow up:

Steven Gerrard

"Steven scored the crucial second goal against Trinidad but he is clearly not enjoying playing in a central midfield two and it is obviously taking time to adjust. England fans may think he plays in a two with Liverpool but he has either played on the left, right, in the hole or up front.

"Gerrard wants to be free to express himself. He is one of the best in world football but isn't being allowed to operate effectively."

Peter Crouch

"Crouchy is my top man. Everyone can knock him because of his height, the fact that he is ungainly or sometimes not pretty to watch - but he is the best striker England has at the moment.

"He is also developing a goal record worthy of any striker at international level and the fact that he scored his first World Cup goal will give him a major boost.

"It was a big game for him after that dreadful miss and he might easily have gone the other way after that but he picked himself up and has now slammed the criticism down people's throats. Brazilian, Argentinian, Spanish and Italian centre-halves will find it very difficult to cope with Crouch."

Source: Noticias.info