If any of you had the misfortune of tuning in to Sky Sports ‘Goals on Sunday’ featuring Allardyce himself, you would’ve heard the regretful confirmation that it is a distinct possibility that Carroll can be recalled by Liverpool in January.
We must applaud David Sullivan and David Gold for their ambition and determination to bring Andy to the club, but it appears that the deal is not as ‘watertight’ as it was first described. Insiders had previously claimed that Carroll could be ours for a figure of around £18 million at any point during the year, and also suggested that the transfer of Carroll was an offer exclusively available to West Ham United; however it has become clear that we could lose the player far quicker than the time it took to bring him to the club.
This clarity on the issue is just one example of what will become a repetitive battle of our owners’ claret and blue tinted eyes and desperation to please the fans, versus Allardyce’s cynical, frank realism.
Whilst Gold and Sullivan would have you believe that Carroll was in awe of West Ham United as soon as he opened the door of his customised Range Rover and looked up at the castle-like exterior of the Boleyn Ground, Allardyce has admitted that Carroll was reluctant to leave Liverpool and is only really here in an effort to get some first-team football and capture Brendan Rodgers’ attention.
As supporters we must not judge Carroll too harshly for this attitude. We’re all huge fans of West Ham and believe all our players should love the club as much as we do, but what we must remember is that he moved from his boyhood team Newcastle to join Liverpool, in a deal which made him the most expensive British footballer in history.
Even the most biased amongst us can accept that Liverpool is a great football club with a massive fan base who are dedicated to their club in a similar way to we are. They may not be experiencing their most successful period at the moment, but Carroll would obviously love to become a part of Liverpool’s illustrious history and, understandably, does not wanted to be judged as a failure.
Liverpool are currently struggling just outside the relegation zone whilst we are enjoying life back in the Premier League in 8th position. Whilst this could be seen as a reason for Carroll to want to stay at West Ham, I think it is vital that Liverpool overtake us soon or the pressure will mount on Rodgers and he, or his replacement, will quickly give in to pressure to call for Carroll to return to Anfield in a blaze of glory.
Rodgers’ football ideology could not be more different from Allardyce’s practicality; his idealistic playing style evidently has no room for what is perceived to be a 6ft 3” powerhouse. And that’s exactly why we need Rodgers’ homage to Barcelona to work and convince everyone, including Liverpool’s owners, that the old-fashioned centre forward is becoming extinct in the modern game, paving the way for Carroll to join permanently.
The appointment of Rodgers suggests that Fenway Sports Group subscribe to his ‘project’ and will give him the time necessary to transform Liverpool into a vibrant, free-flowing, attacking side. However they have far less commitment to Rodgers than they did to Kenny Dalglish in terms of risking alienating the fans, and so the fact that they sacked Dalglish may worry Rodgers.
Carroll could easily be brought back as a stop-gap plan to pick up some points before Rodgers’ next major transfer window. If Rodgers is fired then it is likely a more results-based manager will replace him, such as Harry Redknapp, and they would be certain to bring Carroll back in a heartbeat.
A brilliant forward is something that West Ham have not been particularly blessed with in recent years. Paolo Di Canio and Carlos Tevez are the only two amazing players who spring to mind; for the rest of the time we have had to settle for decent strikers who are confined to rare moments of quality such as Bobby Zamora, Dean Ashton and, in the current day, Carlton Cole.
Although Cole is certainly a likeable figure, undoubtedly committed to West Ham United and is not as useless as some would have you believe, the gulf in class between him and Carroll was shocking against Fulham.
Carroll controlled absolutely everything in the advanced positions of the pitch; he won almost everything in the air with ease, against a strong competitor in the form of Brede Hangeland, and showed an awareness when placing the ball which suggested he had been nurtured in that team for years when, in fact, he had minimal training time and was thrown into his debut in a reckless attempt to reconcile an embarrassing defeat at Swansea.
Anyone who tries to suggest that Carroll is a one-dimensional lump is talking absolute nonsense. I honestly believe he is one of the best players we have had in our squad for many years. Allardyce’s determination to force a deal through must be commended and I’m sure we are all relishing the thought of Matt Jarvis’ much-talked about cross completion statistics coming to fruition with Carroll providing the target.
He may not emit the same exoticism as the likes of Tevez did, and his towering frame and scruffy image complete with greasy pony tail does him absolutely no favours in terms of fitting in with the popular sleek, fashionable footballer stereotype of the moment (Cristiano Ronaldo, Cesc Fabregas, Fernando Torres etc.) but Carroll is a special player.
He may be unavailable today but we are still extremely lucky to have him considering we are in our infancy during this spell as a Premiership club. He completes what is one of the most competitive squads we have had in recent years and we could be in store for a solid campaign back in the top flight, especially if we maintain our 100% home record today against Sunderland.
Let’s hope Liverpool can also kick-start a successful season against Manchester United on Sunday as it could help us to hold on to a 23 year-old who is integral to fulfilling our dreams, as opposed to, predictably, seeing them fade and die.
Follow me on Twitter @RichMaher93
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