Peter Crouch is a very good football player and joining Liverpool is a tremendous move for him, he deserves it.

Everyone simply talks about his height, because he's 6ft 7in, as if that's all there is to him.

But I can assure everyone he is very good technically and his touch will be as good as the other Liverpool players, there is no doubt about that.

He's had to live with jibes about his height and I'm so pleased for him because this boy can play.

People say Liverpool will just play the long ball now. Well, when does a long pass become a long ball, I mean what are people talking about?

Peter would say his height hasn't affected him but I think it used to

Graham Taylor on new Liverpool striker Peter Crouch

Look at his touch, look at his passing, look at his control, how he lays people in, how he holds off defenders, that's the sort of player we are talking about.

There are too many people who will not look at him just because he's very tall. But look at Jan Koller, one of the best Czech strikers around - he's 6ft 7in too.

Peter has always wanted to be thought of as a good footballer.

He was in great form for a struggling Southampton side last season and he was scoring plenty of goals too.

Psychologically, he would say his height hasn't affected him but I think it used to. Now he's learned to handle the criticism and he knows he's a good player.