Crouch has a head for heights but Croatia defeat still makes him dizzy

Within seconds of Peter Crouch arriving at a glitzy presentation for a new computer game, to which the Liverpool and England striker has lent his name, the quips about his 6ft 7in frame begin in earnest.

Even the compere of the event, Radio 5 Live presenter DJ Spoony, cannot resist a bit of mickey taking as Crouch gets up on stage.

Crouch, of course, has heard it all before.

Given his height, he is smart enough to know he will never shake off the tags so easily applied to him.

But with every goal he scores, the focus shifts further to his ability as a footballer rather than his size.

For that reason he deserves to be spared some of the vitriol meted out to England's under-performing players in the wake of their capitulation to Croatia and failure to make the finals of Euro 2008.

For not only did his exquisitely-taken goal at Wembley come agonisingly close to taking England through, it so nearly defined Crouch as the nation's saviour without the need for words such as 'lanky' or 'beanpole' in the headlines.

Too modest to admit so himself, Crouch was one of the few players to emerge with any credit from a shambolic campaign.

"My defining moment? I thought I had it when I got the equalising goal, I thought we were through," he said.

"I thought that was the defining goal, but it worked out that it didn't mean anything.

"That's how fine the line is between taking your nation to the European Championships and just scoring another goal.

"Although I feel I did OK on the night, we collectively didn't perform throughout the qualification.

"We all have to be honest with ourselves and ask: “Did we do enough?”

"You get stopped by fans at petrol stations and it's difficult.

"At least we can go back to our clubs and try to perform there, to get over this."

Unfortunately, the signs suggest Crouch may be denied that opportunity at Liverpool.

Rafa Benitez has handed him just two Premier League starts this season, although he has fared better in Europe, where he has scored four goals in four Champions League starts.

Crouch will not be short of suitors from the Premier League and abroad if he is deemed surplus to requirements at Liverpool — Manchester City manager and former England head coach Sven Goran Eriksson, a committed fan, is weighing up a January approach.

But Crouch said: "I don't want to leave Liverpool. I want to play in big competitions — in a Champions League Final. But you want to play.

"Recently it has been a lot better, but at the start of the season I wasn't getting enough games."

Surely Benitez's rotation policy and the uncertainty it brings must have Crouch seriously considering a move?

"Not at all," he said. "It helps us that he likes to chop and change between games.

"He never lets on what's he's thinking."

Indeed, Benitez does not reveal who is playing until around an hourand- a-half before kick-off.

Whether he is picked or not, Crouch says he will never lose his self-confidence.

"I always had faith in my own ability, I always believed I could play at the highest level.

"There are times when you're going to get knocked but you have to get up from those.

"I feel I'm a lot better player now than when I first entered the England side; I feel I've developed a lot.

"I'm at a club now where I feel settled and where I feel I can win things — I think I'm in my prime. I just love playing for Liverpool."

Still only 26, Crouch should still have his best years ahead of him and should have plenty of time for another crack at the 'defining moment' that will finally see him remembered more for his goalscoring prowess than for his towering frame or an eye-catching robot dance.