Liverpool's Andy Carroll better watch out for 'England star in the making' Connor Wickham - Kevin Beattie The former Ipswich man believes that Sunderland's latest acquisition could usurp the £35 million Anfield striker in years to come, making a spot for the national side his own. The pair could come face-to-face when Sunderland head to Anfield on Saturday and Wickham is being tipped to one day steal Carrollâs England place by Ipswich legend Kevin Beattie, who saw him come through the ranks at Portman Road before he made his £12 million move to the Black Cats. Liverpool were also strongly linked with the England Under-21 international and Beattie is confident that the 18-year-old will show why he was so highly sought-after in his first season of Premier League football. âAndy Carroll is a few years older than Conor but I still think that Connor has without a doubt more ability than him,â Beattie told Goal.com. âPlus he is still learning his trade and he can only improve at a bigger club, so Sunderland can count themselves very fortunate to have got him for the price they did. Connor is just like Andy Carroll, who is a big strong Geordie, and he went for £35 million âI am not saying he is a better player than Andy Carroll at the moment. Andy is possibly better in the air than Connor but Connor is blessed with a better touch than Andy Carroll. Andy has already been with a big club in Newcastle but Connor will learn from playing alongside better players. âThe boy can only get better and better. He wonât let any team down at all. He is an England striker in the making so Andy Carroll had better watch out. That is a million per cent certain.â Beattie, a former England defender, believes that Hereford-born Wickham will take Premier League centre-halves by surprise this season. âHe will shock defenders because they really wouldnât believe how much strength and power he possesses for a teenager,â Beattie added. âHe is boy in a manâs body which is what Bobby Robson used to say about me at Ipswich. He is such a big lad but he has a great footballing brain as well. He is going to be one hell of a player and I can say that with some confidence because I have seen him come through the ranks at Ipswich. âThey reckoned he was going to go to Liverpool and I would like to have seen him go there because they are one of the biggest clubs in the world. Steve Bruce made a cheeky bid and he is well worth every penny of the transfer fee. âThatâs because we have only seen a small fraction of the ability that the kid has got. He stood out for Ipswich even though he was played out of position by Roy Keane, who stuck him out on the right when we knew he was a centre forward âBut Paul Jewell stuck him down the middle and all of a sudden he shot up another league. He might start the season sitting on the bench but that wonât last for long because the kid has the ability and the temperament to move up to full international level.â http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896...ll-better-watch-out-for-england-star-in-the-?
Personally it pains me to say but carroll is a decent player. Scores with both feet and head. I do agree, however, in thinking that Connor will become the better player in time.
Personaly I think Carrol is massively overrated, yes he's english and yes he's a good player with potential to be even better but certain commentators (for reasons unknown) are comparing his talent to his over inflated price tag. IMO if Wickham can be half as good as Quinn was then I would be ecstatic.
and if others cannot see this in connor they are wasting their time attending football matches,as i keep saying who else has an english cf of this age and ability. KEVIN BEATTIE TOP MAN
All he needs is proper coaching, the prospect of an England call up and a decent run in the first team. If we allow him to leave that decision will haunt us for years to come. When you look at some of the England strikers like Bent, Lambert etc he must be in with a great chance. And if Carroll is considered England quality, with West Ham, there's no reason Wickham can't be at Sunderland, he's a better player.
Stu - I have had a number of differing opinions to you over the time on this forum - but I am 100% with you on this - I have watched Wickham play for 10 minutes here and there and never be given a run. His first run in the team brings us premier league survival. Spot on (except that Carroll is a West Ham player not Liverpool so not sure when this interview was from!)
When we signed him I reckon ........ it just shows what Carroll really is tbh. He's been 'replaced' by Lambert who's an owld fella and cost tuppence.
To be fair, Carroll's been plagued by injuries since he left Newcastle. The guy is a ****ing tank though, no doubt about it, when he's fit sometimes he's just unplayable for a defender. He had the beating of Vidic when Vidic was at the top of his game, all match for Newcastle I remember thinking 'how we gonna stop him'. After leaving Newcastle his career's gone a bit wayward, with the drinking, the money, the injuries etc. Some people saying he doesn't display the same sort of passion for other clubs that he did for Newcastle, all I know is that on his A-game there's no defender in this league could take care of him. With the injuries Carroll's had to deal with he's about as reliable as a Bichon-Frise guard dog, so I'd take Wickham over him but I'd argue he's the better player of the two.
They both have attributes to excel, but they both have a suspect attitudes however the amount of time Carrol spends with the physio i don't think he'll ever fulfil his potential.
He was drinking well before he left Newcastle fella. Lets not forget he was bailed to live with Kevin Nolan after slapping his lass about on the piss. I think it's fair to say he was off the rails before he left the Toon. When a girl hits the floor & it's not Collymore, Andy Carroll, When you're glassed in the face by a mag with no pace, Andy Carroll, When you're cars set on fire, called a **** and a liar, Andy Carroll, When you're either in jail, hitting birds or on bail, Andy Carroll.
That's a fair point Bri, maybe he was injured there as well, just seemed to ride the injuries cos he was full of Famous Grouse constantly to numb the pain!
