Stoke striker Crouch has no retirement plans

Peter Crouch may be in the winter of his career but he says he still has more hunger than some of his fellow Premier League stars.

The Stoke City striker has been given a new lease of life this season, regaining his place in the team and finally netting his 100th Premier League goal.

The Potters have not reached the heights they had in previous years this campaign but still look set for a fourth consecutive top-half finish.

Under former boss Tony Pulis and current manager Mark Hughes, passion and desire have been pre-requisites for players wanting to wear the red and white stripes and it has been the foundation of their nine-year top-flight stint.

Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images

But Crouch says not everyone shares his love of the game.

“I’m 36 years old, but I love it and am not going anywhere any day soon. It’s literally a joy every day,” he said.

“Sometimes you look at players and think `they don’t really want to be here.’ You think ‘you must have enjoyed it to get to the level you are now.’ But I see players who don’t really want to train

“Thankfully, you don’t see it very often, but when you do, it’s an eye-opener.”

Crouch often credits his family for his down-to-earth approach, but his father Bruce may not be so supportive this weekend when Stoke take on Chelsea.

“My dad’s a big Chelsea fan,” Crouch said.

“I’m Peter after Peter Osgood and we had a rabbit called Kerry Dixon back in the day, who was another hero when I was growing up.”