Peter Crouch

If I played badly as a kid, my dad would tell me, and my mum would say, 'You were brilliant today'. It's nice to have both: when I need a bit of confidence, I'll see her, and if I need to hear it straight, I'll see my dad.

There is one thing you must know about Marko Arnautovic if you want to understand what makes him tick: he believes he's the best player in the world.

I'll have an omelette, porridge, and fruit for breakfast at the training ground, then chicken, pasta and soup for lunch; then I can relax in the evening.

Because of how I looked, there was definitely a prejudice against me. People didn't think I could play. I could see why: I weighed about eight stone and was six foot bleeding seven.

The thing you don't realise is that every time you head the ball, your brain shakes. Every single time. Have you ever headed a ball badly and seen stars for a couple of seconds? That's your brain shaking. Let's be honest: that can't be healthy, can it?

If you're good enough, you're old enough: that's what everyone says. When a talented young player emerges, his age doesn't matter; people want to see him in the team. So why, when you become older, is the assumption that you are no longer good enough?

There shouldn't be a stigma about age with footballers.

Spending time in Sweden on loan was one of the best things I ever did.

When I first started playing, the only time you knew you would get photographed was if the paparazzi were outside a smart restaurant in town.

The lowest period was when I was with Tottenham, and they loaned me out to Dulwich Hamlet.

I've played for England; I've been lucky enough to do this for a long time. So why can't you do it with a smile on your face?

In this age of social media, it is easy to punch out a phrase 'thoughts are with the family' when something bad occurs, and at times, it is insincere.