Hodgson's Mistake Is Stoke's Gain

Last updated : 06 June 2012 By Wes Handerley

And if Crouch steps up a gear, it can only benefit Stoke City as the tall striker sets about being the Potters top scorer for a second season running.

Crouch was a success story last season, he managed to score 14 goals in a Stoke shirt, but Roy Hodgson chose to ignore the player who has been a goal machine for England in the past, preferring to take the likes of Andy Carroll who managed a couple of goals for Liverpool right at the end of the season.

Pulis, along with thousands of Stoke fans, believes that Crouch would have been the ideal man to score goals for England on a Euro 2012 stage that quite frankly, they look out of their depth in.

But England’s loss is Stokes gain.

Pulis told the Sentinel: "I have spoken to Peter and he was very disappointed to be left out - and rightly so.

"I just said to him to go away and have a good family break, then come back raring to go for next season.

"I've no real worries with Peter because he's an experienced lad and knows the score. If anything, his omission will be more of a motivation and he'll come back flying."