Peter Crouch, Tash Dowie and Foundation head Matt Parish on Liverpool - Chelsea legends
21/03/2025
AXA Training Cenrte, Liverpool, Uk
21/03/2025
AXA Training Cenrte, Liverpool, Uk
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SportsTranscript
00:00How you doing, Rob?
00:01You all right?
00:02Nice to see you.
00:08How you doing, mate?
00:09How are you? Hi, Tash, you OK?
00:11Nice to see you.
00:12I'm not across the court for once.
00:13LAUGHTER
00:15Who'd like to start it off?
00:16I can't believe I haven't seen you guys.
00:19Who wants to jump in?
00:20I'll do it.
00:22I've been at the doors to your family.
00:23LAUGHTER
00:25You mentioned on the podcast recently that you went to Villa,
00:29away, undercover, and your kids enjoyed hearing these babies
00:33were out on the street, stuck out of bed.
00:35You're hoping to hear that again tomorrow,
00:36and how good's it going to be for your kids to be able to watch you play for Liverpool?
00:39Yeah, obviously, first and foremost, it's about the foundation and stuff,
00:44but my little boy's just taken a huge, like, to Liverpool,
00:48and took him to his first game, it was actually Southampton was the game away,
00:53but he couldn't really see, and then we came outside,
00:59and I was undercover for most of it, cos we were in the away,
01:02but then, when we came out, went to get a drink,
01:06and pulled the skies down, and then everyone started singing Biggie Red,
01:10and my little boy was the only song he wanted to hear,
01:13and I said, look, you're not going to hear that today,
01:15it's, you know, plenty more important things to do,
01:19but when he heard it, I was thinking, maybe he'd see his place,
01:22and he loved it, I had to leave pretty soon after that,
01:25but I think it was a good thing.
01:29Hi, Crouchy. A source in the room tells me that you forgot your football boots.
01:34Yeah.
01:36And Abi's in town in Sports Direct right now, trying to get some.
01:39Is that true or not?
01:40Is all this not correct?
01:43No, do you know what, I looked at the weather and it was lovely today,
01:46and I've only got, like, mould, so I thought, if it is, you know, heavy rain,
01:51which is forecast, of course...
01:53I'm moulded.
01:54Yeah, are you?
01:55Yeah.
01:57You know, I'm still a bit old-school, and I thought, just in case,
02:00so yeah, she did go, personally go, but she said no, mate, to Sports Direct.
02:06I'm sure there's a pair of boots knocking around here somewhere.
02:09I'm sure, well, actually, I know Virgil's agent,
02:11and I thought he was the only one that potentially could fit me,
02:15but he's, yeah, 11.
02:17And how much are you looking forward to putting that red shirt back on tomorrow,
02:20see old foes in Chelsea?
02:22Yeah.
02:23Are we going to see a little Gerald Crouch link-off again?
02:26Yeah, well, that would be nice, you know, obviously.
02:29Yeah, I've got friends in both camps, obviously,
02:31but, yeah, some of the lads I've played with, I think Dirk's playing,
02:33and I've not seen any of the lads yet, but Dirk, Juzy, Sammy,
02:37Dirk, Sammy, Stevie as well, obviously.
02:41Yeah, he carried me, you know, in the three, what, years that I've played here,
02:45so I think we can do the same again tomorrow.
02:47I'll admit.
02:49Tash, you obviously do a lot of work with the foundation and stuff like that,
02:52and you obviously really pride yourself in getting involved.
02:54You must be immensely proud to be back at Anfield tomorrow with the Legends.
02:58Yeah, I think, first and foremost, thank you to the foundation for making this happen.
03:02I think it's a big moment, I think, for the club to be the first to involve a woman within the game.
03:08I think, hopefully, it will inspire lots of young girls and boys that are at the game tomorrow,
03:13and I think it's a different type of feel to the Legends game,
03:16it's more of a family feel, so I think it just perfectly matches it.
03:20And for me, it's been two years since I've played a game,
03:23I've got a good record at Anfield, played there, scored in the Kop End,
03:26so hopefully I can do the same again tomorrow.
03:30Natasha, is another example of women's football and how it's progressing and how it's developing,
03:35obviously this is your first woman to play for the Legends team,
03:38is that another sign of where the game's going, really?
03:40Yeah, absolutely.
03:41You know, I say it, the younger Tash, like, I was able to play football at school,
03:46you know, primary school, secondary school, girls weren't allowed to play football.
03:49So, for me now, you know, to be in this position as the first female ambassador of the club,
03:54and, you know, now for me, my task is to always try and be the first, you know,
03:57the first to play in a Legends game, but hopefully not the last as well.
04:01So, yes, selfishly, it's incredible, I can't wait, you know,
04:04this is going to be the biggest crowd I've ever played in front of,
04:06I've got all my friends and family coming up,
04:08but I'm doing this not just for myself, but, you know, 5, 10, 15 years' time,
04:12you know, hopefully this can be the next thing,
04:14and this can be something that we kind of really collaborate with in the future.
04:19And you've retired a lot more recently than some of the players.
04:23Pressure's on.
04:25Yeah, well, I've been marathon training, so I've definitely got the kind of lungs for it,
04:29football fitness is a lot different, I can't say, I've probably sprinted in two years,
04:33but now I'm ready to work hard for the team, whether it's 10, 15, 20 minutes,
04:37I'm just going to enjoy it, and, like I said, it'll be great to play with the likes of Peter,
04:40I'll definitely be working off his flicks, maybe, as soon as the ball goes up to him,
04:44and, yeah, to play with the likes of Steve and Gerard, people that you've looked up to,
04:48and I've been involved with this club, I signed in 2013, and, like I said,
04:52it's a pinch-yourself moment, and one that I'm really going to soak it up today,
04:56and tomorrow, make the most of it.
05:00Yeah, one for Peter, you play for a lot of different clubs in your career,
05:03what is it that you think sets Liverpool apart, and is Liverpool different?
05:08Yeah, it's unbelievable, especially, I think, it's amazing how many kind of ex-players
05:15end up supporting the club, or want to be a part of the club,
05:20it's something really special, I think, with the Forever Reds thing,
05:23obviously, I did the golf day, that's why I was slightly late today,
05:25and you see the players, it's always, all feel connected,
05:28and I think it has to do with the club, obviously, looking after the ex-players,
05:32but, you know, all the players I've played with have a connection to Liverpool,
05:37I know I certainly do, I know I married a Scouser, which helps,
05:40but I definitely have a connection to the club, and always will,
05:44my boys support Liverpool, I'll take them to games,
05:47and they were kind of pushed into it a little bit,
05:50but they absolutely love it, and I'm very pleased that they do,
05:54because it gets, for me, I can now be a part of it,
05:58it would be massive for me, for my little boy to see me,
06:01he missed out, he's only five, so, for him to see me,
06:05kind of pull on the red shirt again, play at Anfield,
06:07will be a huge moment for our family, yeah.
06:12Just one for me as well, please.
06:14You mentioned just how many teams you've played for,
06:16and I had a little look through the stats,
06:18which in terms of a charity game,
06:20but Chelsea, the team that you've faced most in your career,
06:24you've played 33 times against them,
06:26nine goals, five assists, are you looking to build on that tomorrow?
06:29I thought it was going to be a hell of a lot worse than that!
06:32I'll take that!
06:34That's a goal contribution nearly every two games.
06:36Yeah, I don't know, I'll take that.
06:39Certainly when I was at Liverpool, Rafa always played me
06:42in the big games against Chelsea,
06:44and that Chelsea team was a very, very good side,
06:48and we were lucky to get the better of them sometimes,
06:51but hopefully, yeah, I'd love to build on that,
06:55I'm glad it was slightly more than I thought it was!
06:59Matt, just on the importance of these games,
07:02what impact do these events have for you
07:05and everyone working behind the scenes every year?
07:08Well, it's our biggest event,
07:10I think in terms of impact,
07:12I think the question you asked about the difference with the clubs,
07:14I think the fact that we've got at the moment
07:17just over 59,000 tickets sold for tomorrow,
07:20I think we stand alone,
07:22I think it's us and Man U that run them regularly,
07:25but I think it's only ourselves and Real Madrid that sell out regularly,
07:28so I know we were talking about Spurs,
07:30they've got a game the next day,
07:32and I don't think they're in that unbelievable stadium,
07:34I don't think it's at the same level as Sales,
07:36it's at a different level.
07:38I was going down to the cup final last week on the train,
07:41I was with the supporters getting on the train,
07:43they were talking about bringing their kids to the Legends game,
07:46so I think it's an opportunity for kids
07:48that don't always get a chance to go to come,
07:50Tash was saying before the game,
07:52it's a different atmosphere,
07:54it's a younger audience,
07:56but fundamentally every pound we raise
07:58goes to support our work,
08:00and we know it's a great place to live and work,
08:03but there's a lot of need in our city region,
08:06so we're going to use all the money raised this year
08:08to support health programmes that we deliver
08:10and are delivered by others,
08:12so I think we can have a massive impact with that.
08:14People far cleverer than me
08:16do the work out of it,
08:18but for every pound that we raise
08:20we turn it into about 40 quid's worth
08:22of social value for our community.
08:24What does that mean, 40 million odd quid?
08:26But it's hugely important for us,
08:28and it's our biggest event of the year.
08:33Peter, it'll be 20 years this July
08:35that you signed for Liverpool,
08:37six weeks before you signed
08:39was the small matter of Liverpool winning
08:41the fifth European Cup in Istanbul.
08:43Do you remember where you was when you watched the game
08:45and were you aware of any interest at the time
08:47as I seem to remember you scored
08:49and ran a bit of a muck against Liverpool
08:51at St Mary's early on that season?
08:53Yeah, I think that game at St Mary's
08:55was one of the reasons I signed,
08:57obviously because it was Carragher and Lupio
08:59obviously top class centre-halves
09:01and I did okay,
09:03but I remember where I was
09:05because I was away with my first England squad
09:07and we were in the US
09:09and it was New York I think
09:11and obviously the games I had no clue
09:13that I'd be signing for the club
09:15after that, it was one of the greatest European finals
09:17we've ever seen
09:19and I was watching it with Joe Cole
09:21and he was praying,
09:23before he seemed allowed to win!
09:25He was very pleased at half-time
09:27and it was obviously
09:30the way it unfolded was absolutely amazing
09:32and I had no clue at all
09:34that I'd be signing.
09:36But yeah,
09:38I remember my agent calling me
09:40and saying, you're sitting down
09:42and it was obviously an incredible thing
09:44to happen for me
09:46and it took me a while to get my first goal
09:48but thank God I got it off the back
09:50and ended up thankfully
09:52doing okay here
09:54and at least to get invited back to a few games
09:56still, so it can't have been that bad.
09:58You scored against Everton and United
10:00in your time, so we're made up, you know.
10:02It's alright, yeah.
10:04Peter, you spoke about
10:06the Chelsea rivalry
10:08for a couple of years it was really intense
10:10was it almost as intense
10:12as United and Everton?
10:14I think so, yeah.
10:16I think there was so much
10:18with Mourinho and Rafa as well
10:20it felt like there was a real kind of
10:22and they were far ahead
10:24of us in the league, really
10:26but it felt there was something special
10:28as you know, there's something special about
10:30Liverpool and the European Cup and the Champions League
10:32and it felt like we had that
10:34kind of edge over them
10:36even obviously I didn't play
10:38in Luis Garcia's goal
10:40but I played in
10:42the lead up to Athens
10:44when Daniel Aga scored
10:46and then Dirk Kuyk got the win penalty
10:48those games were just so special
10:50and it was just the tiny moments
10:52that changed the course of history
10:54and we weren't worn up on them in the European Cup
10:56but they were ahead of us in the league
10:58by far.
11:00And you spoke about your affinity
11:02to Liverpool Football Club
11:04but in terms of this game
11:06it's actually the weirdest one
11:08how important is that for you
11:10as you mentioned the way to school
11:12how important is that for you as well?
11:14Massive, you know, why?
11:16Because I've still got lots of friends
11:18in and around the city
11:20I'm up here quite a lot
11:22and I see the work that's getting done
11:24it's down to the foundation
11:26in the city
11:28of course
11:30like most cities now
11:32it needs help in areas
11:34and the work that's done here
11:36it's fantastic for us
11:38to play in a match at Anfield again
11:40but obviously the bigger cause
11:42is obviously surrounding areas
11:44and obviously they do so much work
11:46and all for the good
11:48it's a great fun day out for the fans
11:51and for us as players
11:53but obviously the bigger picture is the foundation
11:55Have you spoken to any of the players
11:57on either side?
11:59Have you spoken to any of them
12:01on the build up to the game?
12:03Yeah, I spoke to a couple
12:05I was with David James today
12:07Neil Miller, Gary McAllister
12:09John Barnes was at the golf day as well
12:11so obviously spoke to all those
12:13but the only one I spoke to, Joe Cole
12:15he said he wasn't playing
12:17Ashley Cole wasn't playing
12:19and obviously I was with him at Stoke
12:21and I just said please don't start
12:23kicking me around
12:25because yeah
12:27I've seen it first hand
12:29and he said as long as you don't do
12:31anything silly then you won't get hurt
12:37Can I just ask one
12:39just on the current Liverpool team Peter
12:41I just wonder what your thoughts are
12:43at the moment about this season
12:45and when it's gone
12:47It's been fantastic for a long time
12:49but the last maybe two weeks or so
12:51that's been a bit of a
12:53last week was a bad week
12:55a couple of people asking a few questions
12:57about just where the team are
12:59I just wonder what your thoughts are
13:01just generally where the teams are at the moment
13:03I think it's been an unbelievably successful season
13:05you know
13:07one week of football doesn't determine
13:09obviously yeah of course
13:11it's not been a great week
13:13I think over the course of the two legs
13:15even the sportiest Liverpool fan would say
13:17they probably deserved it
13:19over the course of the two games
13:21I was at the Carabao Cup final
13:23and again it wasn't the Liverpool
13:25we've seen this season
13:27but I mean
13:29if you go back to the start of the season
13:31he said you'd have a lead like this
13:33and you'd be out of the other competitions
13:35every Liverpool fan would have bit your arm off
13:37and that's where they are now
13:39and I think we need to take stock of that
13:41I mean after Jurgen left
13:43and done what he's done
13:45it's just been a revelation
13:47and I think everyone needs to be a bit calm
13:49about it and look at it in the positive way
13:51it should be
13:53Just finally for me Matt
13:55you mentioned earlier on
13:57some of the initiatives you've got going on
13:59you had the five year plan come out recently
14:01can you tell us a bit more about what the plans are
14:03what the hopes are for the next few years
14:05Yeah so we've spent the last five years
14:07getting at it really
14:09and doing more
14:12we went at everything
14:14so what we want to try and do now is focus
14:16because I think there's a challenge
14:18and there's lots of need
14:20and you can see you can help
14:22you try and do loads of things ok
14:24so we're going to try and focus
14:26and do more of where we can have most impact
14:28so we're focusing on health, learning and employment
14:30because we think there are three areas
14:32where we can move the dial a little bit
14:34our five year strategy is quite ambitious
14:36we work with just under
14:38130,000 people last year
14:40and funding others to do
14:42so we want to
14:44basically
14:46I gave a proposal to our trustees
14:48that by 2030 we could be working with 300,000
14:50and they said lovely
14:52make it half a million
14:54so I don't know how we're going to get to
14:56the other 200,000 yet but I think we will
14:58because I think days like tomorrow show that
15:00I think it is a special club and it's a different club
15:02and the other thing that we have
15:04that sets us apart
15:06doesn't matter if you're in Bootle or Boston
15:08you're a Liverpool fan, you feel passionately connected to the club
15:10and I think that's the other thing
15:12that we shouldn't be ashamed of
15:14we are a global club
15:16with supporters around the world
15:18our heart's here, this is where we do most of our work
15:20but we want to do more internationally as well
15:22so yeah, growing
15:24but growing with focus
15:26and trying to support more people and have more impact on them
15:28you mentioned earlier
15:30the biggest crowd you've ever played
15:32obviously giving back
15:34and the foundation work is with our people
15:36walking out tomorrow
15:38being involved in any capacity
15:40that's going to be remarkable
15:42what are you most looking forward to?
15:44Scoring!
15:46Yeah, absolutely the crowd
15:48I think 2010 when I won the FA Cup
15:50I think that was 25,000
15:52that's probably the biggest crowd I've played in front of
15:54and having played for Liverpool
15:56and now being an ambassador
15:58I luckily get to go to every home game
16:00and to be a fan and to hear what it's like
16:02when you're here, you'll never walk alone
16:04it makes me feel like crying every single time
16:06so I'm more excited right now
16:08but I've got to admit
16:10there's going to be a few little butterflies
16:12when you do walk out and see that amount of crowds
16:14but I also need to strip it back
16:16and remember why I'm doing it
16:18and again, not everyone would
16:20die to be in this position
16:22so I just need to realise how lucky I am
16:24and make the most of it
16:26and like I said, right now I'm enjoying being here
16:28doing this, I'm going to really enjoy meeting all the lads
16:30and joining in with training
16:33but tomorrow is going to be a really special day
16:35and hopefully, like I said, bigger picture
16:37but I also want to win
16:39we're athletes and we're competitive
16:41and you know me, I'm a bad loser
16:43so I'm really looking forward to it
17:03Sorry
17:13Yep
17:15Ok
17:17Bring your shoulders together
17:19You knew about arm beats
17:21Excellent
17:23Just the two players together
17:25Sorry man
17:27I know
17:29There we go
17:31Excellent
17:33Thank you very much
17:35Nice to see you all