Peter Crouch has disclosed the identity of the sole Premier League player who instilled fear in him during his extensive professional tenure.
The 43-year-old retired from playing in 2019 while representing Sean Dyche’s Burnley squad.
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The ex-England player scored 108 goals during his Premier League career, playing for various clubs like Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, and Portsmouth.
Despite his successes, Crouch’s journey had its challenges.
Reflecting on his career on the That Peter Crouch Podcast, he admitted to being intimidated by Kevin Muscat, whom he faced regularly.
“You know people would say ‘I’m going to break your legs’ – when he would say it, you genuinely believed him.”
Muscat, aged 50, gained a reputation for his tough playing style during stints at clubs like Wolverhampton Wanderers, Crystal Palace, and Millwall.
Crouch isn’t the only player to feel apprehensive about facing the Australian; several other past and present Premier League players have had encounters with Muscat.
Ashley Young, the experienced Everton player, once recounted how Muscat threatened to ‘break his legs’ during their time together at Watford, while Arsenal legend Ian Wright labeled Muscat a ‘low life.’
Despite his aggressive demeanor on the field, Muscat has transitioned into coaching and is striving to adopt a more relaxed approach in his post-playing career.
“I want to be involved in teams that play a certain brand of football and that maybe contradicts what most people perceive to my playing days,” he told AFP.
“I’m trying to forge my own way in terms of the way I coach, the way I manage and the way my teams play. That’s really all I can do.”
He is currently in charge of Chinese team Shanghai Port FC after previously being the manager at Melbourne Victory.
