Peter Crouch was arguably underrated by Spurs fans during the two years he spent at White Hart Lane.
While the striker may not have been a typical Tottenham player who was capable of getting the White Hart Lane faithful on their feet, he was no doubt an extremely effective option upfront.
The former England international played a crucial role in the club’s qualification for the Champions League in the 2009/10 season and subsequently proved to be one of our stand out performers in our debut Champions League campaign.
While Crouch is known by the fans for his sense of humour and jovial attitude, it turns out the striker is as superstitious as they come.
In his recent Daily Mail column, the former Spurs star has opened up on the various superstitions he held during his playing days.
He said: “I was more superstitious than you could imagine.
“For starters, I always had to wear long sleeves. I switched from short sleeves when I moved to Portsmouth from QPR and when I started well, I couldn’t change. Even on hot days, I would roll them up.
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“I also had a routine that I did before every game. After the pre-match handshake, I would break away, run for three steps then do a header.
“I would then run for another three steps and clap the crowd before bending down to tie my right boot.
“It was always in the back of my mind – a little fear, almost – that if I had my first touch, my right boot would fly off so I always made sure I tied that one tighter. I did that sequence for as long as I can remember.”
The striker also revealed that he once tried to copy Gareth Bale’s pre-match meal but insisted that it did not have the same effect on him.
As relayed by The Daily Star, Crouch said: “I watched [Gareth] Bale flying up and down for Spurs and ripping Maicon to shreds against Inter with high-intensity running. I thought, ‘How does he do it?.
“I thought, ‘Well I can do the no gym stuff, no problem – and beans on toast, I like beans.’ I went for it, but some beans have more magic than other beans, I suppose.
“I actually spoke to Paul Scholes recently and asked him what his pre-match meal was. He said, ‘Baked beans on toast’ – exactly the same as Gareth.”
Spurs Web Opinion
I find that some Spurs fans underestimate how important the Redknapp era was for Tottenham in terms of taking us up another level and giving us the confidence to compete with the big boys. Crouch’s goal at the Etihad in 2010 and the San Siro in 2011 rank among the most important goals in the club’s recent history.
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