Crouch handed England incentive

Fabio Capello has backed Peter Crouch's decision to quit Liverpool and told him an England place is there for the taking this season.

Crouch made the move to Portsmouth over the summer to link up with the Fratton Park outfit for the second time in his career after being edged out of the first-team picture at Anfield following the arrival of Fernando Torres.

But Capello is clearly an admirer of the lanky hitman and has urged him to take his chance - despite omitting him from his squad to face the Czech Republic at Wembley on Wednesday night.

The Italian said: "The problem for Crouch when he was at Liverpool was that he only, maybe, got a game once a month.

"I could see how frustrated he was getting, but now he has the chance to show what he can do.

"It's fair to say it's a big season for him."