Trashing-talking feels like the type of behaviour which wouldn't suit Peter Crouch's personality - he's too nice.
Still, he has tried it on the pitch.
Speaking on his BBC 5 Live's 'That Peter Crouch Podcast', the 37-year-old detailed an occasion in which he used some harsh words towards an opponent and how it went wrong.
Ghana international, John Pantstil - who was with Fulham - was the target. Crouch did not specify which team he was playing for at the time but given that Panstil played for Fulham between 2008 and 2011, the striker was either in the colours of Portsmouth or Spurs.
"He went through me so I started giving him a bit of stick," said Crouch.
I was saying, 'Ah, you're useless. How are you even on this pitch? Your mates are laughing at you. You're costing this team every week.'
Then I had to ask him his name. I had a look at the back of his shirt.
Pantsil's demeanour quickly changed.
"I just saw him switch and he changed. I said to Aaron Hughes, 'What's the matter with this fella?' He said, 'He's a nutcase.' Basically, 'What have you done?'
"He [Pantsil] said he was going to end my career. He'd break my legs and this and that.
"He was playing right-side centre-half so I conveniently moved to the left side. He didn't care, he left a massive hole at one side of the pitch and he was just following me wherever I went. I was thinking, 'Oh my God, he's going to kill me.'
"He was throwing his elbows in, he was an absolute nutcase."
Crouch also said that the scariest player he has faced on the pitch was Australian international Kevin Muscat.
"You know people say, 'I'm going to break your legs.'
"When he'd say it, you'd genuinely believe him."
