I'm sure that some of you have been as intrigued as I have over the saga revolving around Andy "ee-haw" Carroll, particularly as it demonstrates another side to "player power." It is abundantly clear that 'Pool want to off-load him to make way for that super-star who is known as Clint Dempsey (or Walnut - no, don't laugh!) - but the donkey is refusing to budge. He will not be led to water. It is a saga that is, actually, becoming rather pitiful, and I'm sure that most Mousers are now extremely embarrassed by the whole affair. Usually, the application of "player power" is associated with the player forcing a move away from a club, but Carroll is forcing 'Pool to keep him. The pretext for this is that he wants to fight for his place in the squad, even though it was apparent to every non-Mouser that Carroll would be a flop from the moment he pulled on the shirt. For god's sake, man! Have some dignity, and just go! Sure, West Ham may not been seen as a glamour club, and, yes, there is every possibility that they are headed straight back to the Championship, but Big Sam will build a team around you, son. He'll tell every player on the pitch, from the goal-keeper to all 9 defenders, to hoof the ball up to you at every single opportunity. Hell, son! You might even score a couple of goals each season. Just because you have a contract, son, doesn't mean that you should honour it. Go, on. Give the Spanners a try.
He's got as much right to hold the club to his contract as the club do to hold him to his contract. Unfortunately he doesn't have much of a right after he forced his way out of Newcastle.
If he is being asked to take a lower salary at Wet Spam, then why not. If Pool have changed their mind, he is within his rights to wait for a deal that he wants, not one Liverpool want. And he's a better player than painted in this thread, the goal he scored for England in the Euros was one very few could have scored. I'd welcome him to the Lane personally as back-up to Ade.
I'd take him in a heartbeat, way better than Defoe as a lone striker. Get him in on a loan, sell JD, job done. Then put the extra cash towards Remy and Loris.
I think its a bit of a double standard. So many times have fans lambasted footballers for trying to force a move away from their club they are contracted to (Modric, RvP, Berbatov etc...) but Carroll wants to stay and fight for his place at Liverpool and he is being criticised for that. Do we know how much West Ham are willing to pay him a week? Ham are hardly renowned for offering low wages. He might feel he has something to offer Liverpool and believes it is something worth fighting for. He learned the hard way that he isn't the most adaptable of players and requires a team built for his service, however Liverpool isn't built for him; more for Suarez. He is a very good finisher and a very good player to have as a final ball. Unfortunately for him, it seems very unlikely that Brendan Rodgers will ever make a team built around him and I believe that he should leave for a team that would utilise him for his strengths. However, he is under contract and he is more than welcome to stick to his contract. In the same way that footballers shouldn't be allowed to force a move away, the same holds true for the football club. If Carroll doesn't want to leave, then he shouldn't be forced to. However I do acknowledge that as it stands, it may not be within his best interests to stay at Liverpool.
Surely they wouldn't loan him to us. Would also be a potential lose-lose situation - if he plays well and gets back to his Newcastle form they'll have him back, if he stays a donkey it's a waste of time. Good on him for sticking to his guns though, I think Rodgers should take note of his (all too rare) commitment to his club and give him a go!
Fair comments re the first bit. Not the second bit though, it'll be a win-win if he plays well, we get a good season out of him they get a player who's upped his value. However, who knows if he liked it here, he might come back permanently. My main point really is that far from being a 'donkey' Carroll is a good Prem striker and better than Defoe as a lone striker. I'd love him here, but agree I doubt Pool would risk helping us out. Were he actually a 'donkey' they'd ship him straight out, but he isn't, he just doesn't fit their system, just like JD doesn't fit ours. Doesn't make Defoe a donkey, or Carroll either.
Judging on previous form of the Liverpool heirarchy Rodgers will be gone by this time next year. Carroll will be right back in the reckoning when they hire back King Kenny.
Player Power. Bit like Walnut and the goons really. Who the **** do they think they are telling Walnut that he must sign a new contract or they will sell him. He has a contract and they must honour it. What is true is that Walnut can say to them 'I wont sign a new contract unless you pay me what I figure I am worth and if I dont sign I will **** off for nothing next year. In the mean time we will have a 'short term agreement'. How short only Walnut knows.
Quite right, it's ridiculous for clubs to treat players like commodities. They have as much responsibility to honour contracts as the players themselves.
I cannot believe that there are fellow Spurs fans who actually rate Carroll. I'm not saying he's a bad Prem striker, but I am saying that he will never be an outstanding prem striker, certainly not with a side that has top 4 aspirations. As a back-up for Ade? Possibly, but not at £20m, which is what 'Pool will be looking for.
I'm with Ghoddle on this one, barring the loan, as Liverpool would never consider it. I think that Carroll could easily learn how to play his best game in our system and would be far more suitable to the job than most of the strikers we've been linked with.
Shame on football clubs who throw money about at players then get shafted when they refuse to move like Ade and now Carrol.
I think Carroll would fit your system perfectly. You attack with a lot of pace and width, and this is what he thrives on. I think in Bale and Lennon you have the perfect foils for Carroll, and also your attacking full backs would suit him. He's actually a much better player than many give him credit for, and his first touch and work rate have improved dramatically over the last few months of last season. I'd personally be disappointed to see him leave us, but it seems he's not in Rodgers plans. Rumour has it he's not even starting tonight against Hearts. £25 mil and he's yours!
