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29 March 2024

Carroll costs Dalglish Liverpool job

Kenny Dalglish the manager of Liverpool stands between his new signings, Andy Carroll (left) and Luis Suarez (right) during a photocall at Anfield in this February 3, 2011 file photo in Liverpool, England. (GETTY)

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By AFP

England manager Roy Hodgson believes Andy Carroll could emerge as a star of Euro 2012 after forcing his way into the squad for Poland and Ukraine.

The 23-year-old striker - the most expensive English player in history following his £35 million transfer from Newcastle to Liverpool last year - has struggled to settle at Anfield this season.

Hodgson's predecessor Fabio Capello had once hailed Carroll as the future of England but ultimately lost interest in the player over his lifestyle habits, famously declaring he needed to "drink less."

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It followed a string of off-the-field headlines that have dogged Carroll throughout his career, which at one point saw him facing assault charges that were later dropped for lack of evidence.

Despite a disappointing season, the towering target-man has impressed at the tail-end of Liverpool's campaign, most notably with a goalscoring cameo in the FA Cup final defeat against Chelsea.

And Hodgson revealed that his mind was made up after being given assurances from sacked Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish that Carroll had changed his ways for the better.

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"I spoke to Kenny at some length about him because I don't know him particularly well as a person and one can easily be tricked by perceptions of players and what you hear or read about them," Hodgson said.

"Kenny was absolutely convinced about the player's ability and his personality and his seriousness as a professional and when I heard that, I had no further reservations."

With Wayne Rooney suspended for England's opening two games of the European Championship, Carroll could well be leading the line when Hodgson's men kick off against France in Donetsk on June 11.

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Hodgson said that while Carroll's form for Liverpool towards the end of the season had influenced his selection, the striker had been picked for qualities not offered by the other strikers - Rooney, Danny Welbeck and Jermain Defoe.

"The type of player he is balances up the other type of forwards we've got in the squad," Hodgson said.

"He will give me options because apart from his target-playing ability he is also a player who is capable of making runs into the channel areas and he can turn defences around and is very dangerous on crosses."

Hodgson also brushed off concerns about Carroll's poor form for Liverpool earlier in the season - a factor that ironically contributed to Dalglish's dismissal from Anfield on Wednesday.

"I think it's hard for players when they go to big clubs," Hodgson said.
"It's more important how he's playing at the moment.

"I don't think I should be confronting him with the failures of the early part of the season - I think I should be encouraging him with the successes of the latter part of the season."