What comes to mind when we speak of a towering totem pole with long locks held together in a ponytail, strong and burly, a centre forward who earns big bucks and commands record fee for his transfers? Perhaps Zlatan Ibrahimovic? No, it’s Andy Carroll we are talking about.
Andrew Thomas Carroll, the Gateshead-born Geordie, who completed his transfer to West Ham United early doors in the summer transfer window. Big Andy’s Premier League career is yet to take full flight, and yet this totemic giant has emptied the coffers of two of the country’s biggest clubs, making him record signings for both Liverpool and West Ham at his tender age of just 24 years.
Whether he will continue to empty the purses of clubs is another question, but the big issue now is: is Carroll really worth that much? Andy Carroll has had a stop-start career till date. His biggest performances have come while putting on the Magpie-striped colors of his hometown club Newcastle United, and not for those employers who invested princely sums for his signature.
Carroll’s rise from the meager surroundings of the Newcastle Academy was astonishing as well as swift. He took the Premier League by storm in his debut season in the top-flight, where he single handedly carried newly promoted Newcastle for half a season. And vultures were never far off. In that bizarre night of January 31 2011, when Kenny Dalglish intervened, splashing 35m pounds on the raw but talented 22 year old, it was destiny for Carroll that he was to become one of the most talked about players in England.
Dalglish had a liking for Geordie strikers, epitomized by his signings of Peter Beardsley and Alan Shearer. But only a nut would spend that much money on someone so raw and inexperienced at the highest level. Carroll faltered under the weight of his huge price tag and never really made the impression that is expected of a record signing. That Liverpool failed to provide the environment for Andy to flourish is another thing. That he was farmed out only after a season showed how rapidly his stock plummeted.
Andy Carroll has his specific strengths. His aerial prowess, strength, ability to lead the forward line on his own and a fierce left peg are his most notable attributes. He could also help out occasionally as an auxiliary centre back while defending set pieces, with his huge frame definitely giving his team an advantage. His lack of pace, touch of a workman, inability to hold the ball up and horrendous passing were his downside.