Crouch praises ‘special’ Liverpool star for accepting ‘dark days’
Peter Crouch has compared himself to Divock Origi as he praises the Liverpool star for overcoming “dark days” to make an impact for the club.
The 26-year-old has been with Liverpool since 2014. He has played 166 times across all competitions.
Most of Origi’s appearances for Liverpool have come off the bench. But he has still managed to make an impact as he scored in the 2018/19 Champions League final.
Liverpool are kings of long-ball game that will rule again
The forward has only started three times this term but he has been involved in six goals from his nine outings overall.
Origi netted his second Premier League goal of the season over the weekend. He grabbed a last gasp winner against Wolves.
In his column for the Daily Mail, Crouch suggested that Origi has a “tough gig” at Liverpool:
“Another late, late show to go with the rest of them for cult hero Divock Origi, who will be loved at Liverpool for ever. Do not underestimate what a tough gig he has there, with only 34 league starts in six and a half seasons.
“There is always this assumption about these players that they’ve no desire to play. People put you down. That goal at Wolves could potentially win Liverpool the title. Add it to scoring in a Merseyside derby. Scoring against Barcelona. The Champions League final.
“It takes a special character to accept that role. It’s hard, there are a lot of dark days.
“You’re going in to train the day after a game when everyone else is warming down. You’re in when they’re off. You’re playing training ground games in front of nobody to maintain fitness.
“I know what it’s like to make an impact as a substitute. Origi could leave and play every game elsewhere. But he’s coming on and scoring massive goals for a huge club.
“I sometimes regret leaving Liverpool when I was second fiddle to Fernando Torres. Thankfully I got those big games back at Portsmouth and Tottenham in Europe but leaving Anfield is a hard thing to do.
“Ultimately, the game time is why I left. I was playing for England and wondering about my place with them. Thankfully it worked out, but the grass isn’t always greener.”
