Film: That Peter Crouch
Director: Benjamin Hirsch
Cast: Peter Crouch, Abbey Clancy, Steven Gerrard, Harry Redknapp, among others.
Yathesht Pratiraj
Based on the life of football player Peter Crouch, Amazon Prime Video’s documentary That Peter Crouch Film showcases his unpredictable career path as well as humble personality. For a football fanatic, this one is a true treat!
Other documentaries on footballers
- Ronaldo (2015): Amazon Prime
- The Figo Affair (2022): Netflix
- Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In (2021): JioCinema
- Save our squad with David Beckam: Disney+Hotstar
- El Corazon de Sergio Ramos (2019): Amazon Prime
- Neymar : The perfect chaos (2022):Netflix
Peter Crouch was ‘freakish, big, tall, gangly kid, all arms and legs like Bambi on ice’ when he was a youngster attempting to make it in the competitive world of professional football. If that assessment strikes you as unfavourable, remember that it came from a young coach at Crouch’s first professional club, Tottenham Hotspur, who was also one of his initial admirers.
That Peter Crouch Film, a documentary, is based around Crouch’s struggle to disprove his critics, some of whom were considerably more vicious. With assistance from well-known figures like Harry Redknapp (who signed the 6 foot 7 inch tall striker for three different clubs), Steven Gerrard, and Sven Goran-Eriksson, as well as friends and family, the documentary follows Crouch’s career in his own words —from being a disregarded misfit to a member of the elite Premier League 100-goal club. There were heartbreaking lows, like the time Crouch was jeered by England supporters in 2005. He described his low points as ‘the closest to depression I’ve ever been’ and his high points as his eventual redemption with the national team at the 2006 World Cup. Everywhere Crouch went—from Portsmouth to Southampton to Liverpool—he seemed to have to start again and establish his worth.
He speaks specifically about his 18-game goalless streak since joining Liverpool and recalls with Gerrard the moment he snatched the ball away from the Reds captain to take a penalty in game 15—only to fail. Finally, breaking his goalless streak against Wigan, Crouch also had a chance encounter with his future wife, model Abbey Clancy, the same night.
Throughout, Crouch displays his quick wit and laid-back demeanour that have made him so popular as a broadcaster; nevertheless, he struggles to find humour in the abuse he received, admitting that he frequently felt like a ‘national laughing stock’ or ‘laughing stick’, as one writer described him.
The story of Crouch, an unlikely ordinary man who overcomes ridicule and adversity to succeed and win a girl along the way, is one of redemption. While Crouch is unique as an individual, the majority of football fans will notice that his career arc is not. His claim that his is a ‘different kind of success story because it hasn’t been plain sailing is made clear early in the 85-minute documentary, although it isn’t exactly true. A lot of football players—possibly the majority—who advance to Crouch’s level must overcome some obstacles along the way. It is rarely ‘plain sailing’ in elite professional sports because of its harsh character.
At the beginning, some people were too slow or too short (Lionel Messi in his youth career days); Crouch was too tall. Apart from his size, Crouch is notable for his relatability, which has contributed to the success of his shows, The Therapy Crouch, a show about relationships with Clancy, and That Peter Crouch Podcast, which has more than 60 million listeners.
Few footballers since Gary Lineker have transitioned from the field to the studio with such ease, and, today, Crouch is, as former colleague Jamie Carragher says, his own ‘brand’.
That Peter Crouch Film is an absolutely charming overview of the career of Peter Crouch, but unless you are a fan of the man himself, his past teams, or have a tall, lanky child, the documentary may not have enough to hold your interest.
