Crouch happy at Stoke

Stoke City striker Peter Crouch says he is ‘very happy’ with life at the Britannia Stadium, despite having been strongly linked with a move.

Stoke City striker Peter Crouch says he is ‘very happy’ with life at the Britannia Stadium, despite having been strongly linked with a move.

The 32-year-old was a reported January target of Queens Park Rangers because of his relationship with manager Harry Redknapp, who he has previously worked under at Southampton, Portsmouth and Tottenham.

While Crouch admits he is close to Redknapp and has a soft spot for his boyhood club, he insists leaving Stoke has not crossed his mind.

He told This is Staffordshire: “Everyone knows that I have got a good relationship with him. I think he is a fantastic manager and QPR are a club very close to my heart.

“That is where I grew up and where my family are, but it didn’t materialise and I am very happy to be at Stoke. I’ve moved my family so often that I wanted to remain here.”

The former Liverpool striker said he bears no grudge against Newcastle defender Fabricio Coloccini after a clash with the Argentine during a game back in November cause him to lose three teeth.

“When I first did it, the lads laughed at me because I had no teeth,” Crouch joked.

“I’ve looked at the incident again and there is no malice. I have probably caught a few people in my time and what goes around comes around. It was totally accidental.”