Andy Carroll made a high-profile deadline day move from Newcastle to Liverpool in January 2011 and was duly billed as the man to replace Fernando Torres at AnfieldIt was the move that broke the hearts of the Newcastle faithful – and now Andy Carroll claims he never even wanted it to happen.
At the start of the 2010-11 campaign, the striker was tipped for big things having been instrumental in the Magpies winning the Championship the previous season. And by January in his maiden top-flight season, he had 11 goals in 19 games, and was already established as a cult hero with club fans. But then everything changed in a hurry. Amid Fernando Torres making a £50million move from Liverpool to Chelsea, Kenny Dalglish duly targeted before the deadline of 11 p.m.
Carroll had only signed a new five-year contract with Newcastle two months prior, but he expressed hope that his physical state would derail proceedings, saying: “As I was injured, I remember hoping to fail my medical.”The former England international has subsequently changed his mind on the transfer, saying it was advantageous to him both personally and professionally. This forced me outside of my comfort zone, which helped me mature, he claimed. “Because other than Newcastle, I knew nothing about life or football.”
Carroll later returned to Newcastle for a two-year, injury-plagued stay to mend his relationship with the supporters after spending seven seasons at West Ham. Following were more transfers to Reading and then West Brom.
