Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterWhile the recent Spygate scandal that played out between Southampton and Middlesbrough sent shockwaves through the English game, spying on opponents is nothing new in football.While most managers accept it as an inevitable cost of doing business, there are some that go that extra mile in order to avoid opponents gaining any advantages ahead of key fixtures.Football fans may be unsurprised to guess former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez was one such gaffer going to extreme lengths to prevent rivals from catching a glimpse of his tactics.Latest Videos FromWatch full video here: We would know, when we went overseas, that we weren't going to set up like that Crouch on Benitezs fake training ground formationsEx-Reds striker Peter Crouch recalls the hilarious tactics the Spaniard would employ to ensure his team wasnt spied upon.I know Rafa Benitez was very wary of people watching our training sessions before big games, Crouch tells FourFourTwo on behalf of Deliveroo, who have created a 6ft 7in pizza, available to order, in his honour ahead of the World Cup. 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The streets were empty except for stray dogs The extreme methods used to discover Mauricio Pochettino 'John Stones has to start for England - Thomas Tuchel needs him fresh to partner Marc Guehi at the World Cup' Clinton Morrison writes in his Top Top Column for FourFourTwo Sometimes we would train in a different shape just to try and throw any potential spies off the scent or give them a false idea of how we would set up.Crouch recalls Benitezs schemes were often put into action ahead of big European games overseas.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Certainly, when we trained away in the Champions League in the other teams stadiums, we would train in a different shape a lot of the time, chuckles the former England striker. We'd know in our heads how we were really going to train and we'd work all week back in Liverpool on the real shape. So we would know, when we went overseas and that we weren't going to set up like that.Crouch was disappointed to see his former club, Southampton, embroiled in the Spygate scandal, but believes its become part and parcel of the modern game.I think the whole spying thing is something that happens a lot in other countries, he says. I don't think I have seen much of it in the English league before now. But with the amount of cultures now and different characters from different leagues coming here to play and manage, I think these things kind of creep into our game as well. What to read next "Sir Alex Ferguson crossed a line, and therein lies the difference between me and him, thats how he won 13 league titles and I won none" Kevin Keegan on Newcastle United's 1995/96 Premier League challenge 30 years on from the 'Love it' rant Southampton face potential misconduct charge after spying alleged at Middlesbrough training ground ahead of Championship play-offs Liverpool signing 'world-class' Robert Lewandowski endored by Peter Crouch Crouch shared his enthusiasm for having a 6ft 7in pizza, dubbed Pizza Crouch by Deliveroo, made in his honour.I really am honoured, he laughs. I turned up the photos and it genuinely was as long as me. How my name Peter has never been combined with pizza before, I will never know. Its been a long time coming and Im proud of it. I think its gonna take at least 12 people to get through it.Pizza Crouch is three-quarters margherita, the robot dancers go-to pizza order, and one-quarter Hawaiian, a cheeky nod to wife Abbey Clanceys favourite slice.Ive had a lot of memorable moments in my career, but becoming a 6ft 7in pizza is definitely up there, he shares. Its ideal because watching football with your mates is one of lifes greatest pleasures, and the worst part is missing a goal because youre getting another pizza out of the oven.Deliveroos Pizza Crouch solves that problem in the best way - its an honour to be entering peoples living rooms in pizza form, keeping watch parties fuelled during the football this summer.Deliveroo partners with Peter Crouch & Abbey Clancy to launch a 6 ft 7 in "Pizza Crouch", feeding up to 30 people. Delivery slots are limited, so apply for a chance to score yours via the dedicated Eventbrite pages only, Pizza Crouch by Deliveroo London and Pizza Crouch by Deliveroo Edinburgh, for delivery on 17th June (London) and 19th June (Edinburgh). TOPICSPeter CrouchRafael BentezLiverpoolUEFA Champions LeagueEd McCambridgeSocial Links NavigationStaff WriterEd is a staff writer at FourFourTwo, working across the magazine and website. A German speaker, hes been working as a football reporter in Berlin since 2015, predominantly covering the Bundesliga and Germany's national team. Favourite FFT features include an exclusive interview with Jude Bellingham following the youngsters move to Borussia Dortmund in 2020, a history of the Berlin Derby since the fall of the Wall and a celebration of Kevin Keegans playing career.
