-
The Guardian -How Mystic Des saw his 'young pony' become a thoroughbred - David Hytner
Des Bulpin just wants England to beat Croatia tomorrow night, to smooth their passage into the Euro 2008 finals with the minimum of fuss. But when the Plymouth Argyle first-team coach casts his eye across England's line-up, he will be reminded of a vote of confidence he once gave to a young Peter Crouch.
Bulpin was on Gerry Francis's coaching staff at Tottenham in the mid-90s and Crouch was struggling as a first-year YTS trainee, all finesse and no brawn, when Bulpin insisted that he saw the future. He told Crouch that one day he would play up front for England.
Few people were talking up Crouch back then. Indeed, Tottenham would allow him to leave in 2000, not convinced that he would make the grade. Yet Bulpin always believed , having first worked with him in the youth ranks at QPR where he remembers him as "like a young pony".
He stood by Crouch throughout his growing pains and when he left QPR with Francis for Tottenham in 1994, he encouraged his new club to take the youngster across London. "When we first got Peter at QPR, he was outstanding on the floor, he had a brain and technique but he just couldn't run," said Bulpin. "But I knew that once Peter got strength, he would be good in the air and become a player. People make mistakes on kids by letting them go before they develop physically. At 17, the weak boy can become just as strong as the others."
Bulpin recalls the taunts that Crouch endured. The other boys would call him "Stick" and Crouch, introverted and conscious of his height, would hunch himself over in an attempt to blend in. Having taken him to Tottenham, the efforts to bulk him up began in earnest. "I gave him a load of milk, yoghurt, porridge, currants and raisins, told him to put it all in a blender and drink it wherever he went," smiled Bulpin. "I don't think he liked it. Then, there was the weights programme we put him on."
When Crouch left Spurs, Francis and Bulpin took him back to QPR in a £60,000 deal, where he scored 12 goals in 2000-01. Global recognition has since followed. "I don't speak to Peter too often these days," he added. "It's like a library book. They are with you for a certain time and then you pass them on to other people."
England are expected to use a five-man midfield tomorrow but if Steve McClaren instead starts Crouch and Jermain Defoe, another Bulpin prophecy of the mid-90s would be realised.
"I could just see it happening, I could see them playing together," he said. "A lot of people were talking about Defoe at the time; I think he was at Charlton, it was just before he moved to West Ham and people were talking about him like they had done with Michael Owen. I'd seen Defoe play and he was very quick, a perfect foil for Peter, in a little-and-large partnership." The Guardian
Also: Crouch on Bulpin
The Observer, Octoebr 28 -"....'Des Bulpin discovered me and along with my dad would be the biggest influence on my career,' Crouch says. 'I remember him telling me when I was 15 that Jermain Defoe and I would play together for England when we were older and he hasn't been too far wrong. We're still in touch, and I'll always have time for Des.'
Guardian
Also Crouch/Daily Mail "My Debt to Spurs" Daily Mail
Welcome to QPR REPORT - A completely unofficial and unaffiliated fan site focusing on G-d's Chosen Team, Queen's Park Rangers (QPR) FC. (Visit also QPR Report Messageboard and Follow on Twitter.) QPR Report accepts no sponsorship, advertising or financial contributions. In 2008, QPR Report was named as one of the top two blogs in the Football League
QPR Report Twitter Feed
Blog Archive
-
▼
2007
(1727)
-
▼
November
(162)
- The QPR Influence On The Republic of Ireland!
- Ex-QPRs: Martin Allen Wants Swindon Job...Holloway...
- Snippet: re Rowan Vine - Birmingham's New Manager ...
- Blackpool vs QPR
- QPR November Birthdays
- Ex-QPR Snippets: Bond on Shimmin...Nikki Bull's Mi...
- QPR January Departures
- "Talent From Trash" Initiative Concludes
- Sunday: Ex-QPRs Playing For "England Legends"
- Banned for Three Games: Dexter Blackstock
- Ex-QPRs Penrice, Breacker and Bulpin Link Up Again...
- Another Great Club Interview: David Bardsley
- 3rd Round FA Cup Draw on Sunday
- QPR Snippets: Coco?...Reserves' Watford Loss..."On...
- Coco to QPR?
- Cullip Leaves...Blackstock Appeals...Dunbar Assesses
- Stoke's Tony Pulis High Praise for John Gregory (a...
- QPR Lose at Stoke
- Stoke vs QPR - Tonight's Teams
- Ex-QPR Georges Santos to Crawley?
- Previewing Tonight's QPR vs Stoke
- Snippets/Views of Ex and Loaned-Out QPRs
- De Canio Not Yet Manager of Month...Breacker, Penr...
- Forthcoming Club-Fans Groups Consultative Meeting
- Marcus Bignot Millwall Loan Extended
- 1966 Medal for QPR's Ron Springett
- Marking QPR's First League Championship Title
- Fracesco Coco - Supposedly No Salzburg Interest
- Ex-QPRs Doing Well This Weekend
- QPR vs Sheffield Wednesday - Additional Match Reports
- Reports and Comments on QPR's Draw Against Sheffie...
- QPR Vs Sheffield Wednesday-Today's Teams: Malcolm ...
- Update re Dominic Shimmin, Tommy Doherty, Tommy Wi...
- Hogan Ephraim For QPR?
- QPR Indirectly Responsible for Holloway Departure?
- Shimmin Joins Bournemouth on Loan
- Flashback: On This Day: Docherty Victory...Gillar...
- Holloway Speaks (and Mentions QPR!)
- Shabazz Baidoo Becomes Gillingham's Seventh QPR-Co...
- Nice QPR Interview With Tony Currie on His QPR Exp...
- Ex-QPRs: Peter Reid Rejects Iran...England Reject ...
- "Where Are They Now?" - Richard Pacquette
- Ex-QPRs - Chris Kamara on Holloway...Paul Parker o...
- Perspectives of Lee Camp and Gareth Ainsworth
- Zesh Rehman on Playing and Not Playing for QPR
- Gillingham Trying to Sign Sixth Ex-QPR Player
- Blackstock, Kanyuka and Walton: Injury Update
- QPR Snippets re Coco and Langella
- Ex-QPRs: Warren Neil Turns 45...Plymouth Ian Hollo...
- Blackstock and Kanuyka Play...Mancienne Plays for ...
- St Aimie Returned to QPR...Kanyuka Plays...Malcolm...
- QPR Defender Chris Barker on New Manager Luigi De ...
- QPR's Recent EGM
- Flashback Six Years: "The Fall and Fall of QPR" an...
- Ex-QPR (and Spurs) Coach Des Bulpin on Peter Crouc...
- More From Flavio Briatore on QPR's Future and Fut...
- Newcastle's Ex-QPR Coaching Appointment...Ian Holl...
- QPR - Briatore sets promotion target
- Alleged QPR Interest in Italian Serie C Forward, F...
- The QPR-Australian Connection
- Buzsaky Joining QPR - Plymouth Chairman on Buzsaky...
- Three Ex-QPR Birthdays and Ex-QPRs in Action Again...
- Victory For Ex-QPR John Spencer in the MLS Final
- England's Israeli Saviour Was Reportedly Linked t...
- QPR's Season Stats
- Ex-QPR Gavin Peacock Turns 40
- "Where Are They Now?" - Leon Jeanne Turns 27
- Ex-QPR Update: Wanchope Retires...Fenwick Birthday
- Two Players' Perspectives: Nick Ward on His QPR Ho...
- De Canio on His Player Plans for QPR - Including C...
- Update re Francesco Coco: Reportedly Trialing With...
- QPR's Latest Signing: Derby's Defender/Midfielder ...
- Flashback: Five Years Ago, Today: Vauxhall Motors ...
- Ex-QPR's John Gregory Reportedly Declines Petah Ti...
- QPR Nick Ward's Speedy Hernia Recovery
- "Where Are They Now?" -Ex-QPR's Michael Currie
- Two Ex-QPR Players Happy to be Still Playing
- Ex-QPR's Dean Parrett Thriving at Spurs
- Ex-QPR Snippets.
- Ex-QPR Update: Lee Cook Recovering
- QPR's On This Date: Two Memorable Goalscoring Feat...
- Simon Walton on His Recovery and Gareth Ainsworth ...
- Sinclair's QPR Loan Only Till Mid-December
- Alleged QPR Interest in Italian Forward, Christian...
- The Changing Face of Queens Park Rangers
- Ex-QPR Birthdays: The Morgan Twins and Chris Woods
- QPR Report on their "Talent From Trash" Efforts
- Hogan Ephraim on Playing For QPR and West Ham Hopes
- Holloway on Buzsaky and QPR...Ex-QPR Clive Wilson ...
- Snippet: QPR Officially Part of Flavio Briatore's ...
- Another Ex-QPR Joins Gillingham - Leroy Griffiths
- Ex-QPR Update: Paul Barron to Newcastle?
- QPR's Ben Sahar Set to Save England?
- Ex-QPR Dennis Oli Returns to the Football League
- John Gregory and Petah Tikva
- QPR's Midfield Star Turns 25
- Antonio Giraudo Supposed Involvement With QPR - An...
- QPR's Strong Performance at Crystal Palace
- The Coalition of QPR Fan Groups "Rebuild" Request ...
- Ex-QPR's John Gregory to Israel?
-
▼
November
(162)