Andy Carroll’s rise to prominence has been nothing short of meteoric. One week he’s bothering Arsenal, the next he’s a media target for his off-field behaviour, then he’s called-up to the England squad. Whether the Newcastle striker will actually line up at Wembley against France remains to be seen as Carroll faces a late fitness test on a groin injury.
The 21 year old has lit up the Premier League this season with a series of displays which has seen him dubbed the old-fashioned centre forward that England have been lacking for so long. It will be a shame if he doesn’t have a chance to make his debut against France tonight, but there’s no doubt that Carroll will have plenty of other opportunities to step into the England fold.
The only concerns regarding Carroll are not those of his quality or his ability, but of his off-field problems. England boss Fabio Capello had this to say regarding Carroll’s development: “Everybody makes mistakes when they are young. It is very important for him to be in the seniors because we have a lot of important players, who can stay with him and speak with him about what happens outside the pitch.”
There are those who believe that Capello’s selection of a man with two separate assault charges under his belt sends out the wrong message to young players. Whilst I would never condone Carroll’s actions, I don’t view his England selection as poor judgement on Capello’s behalf. The man has made some mistakes, and if he’s remorseful and wants to better himself both as a footballer and a human being, then there’s no point ostracising him or fiddling with his development as a footballer.
Despite his looks and his build, Carroll is only 21-years-old. He needs all the role models and decent advice he can get. It’s a shame he’s injured because to spend time with the likes of Capello – who has a reputation for not suffering fools, is something that would be sure to affect the young striker. His call-up to the England squad shouldn’t be seen as a license to do whatever he likes, but as an encouragement to better himself and to focus on the football.
The fact of the matter is, if Carroll listens to his superiors and cleans up his act he has a good future ahead of him. It’s no exaggeration to say that he could be an England great. If he repeats his mistakes his future will begin to look bleak. There is no shortage of people willing to lend Carroll their support and help curtail the more reckless side of his personality. This is a man with a history of violence towards women. If he doesn’t change his ways nobody will have any interest in his England future. Carroll – you can have it all, or have nothing. It’s decision time.
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