Sam Allardyce has claimed West Ham striker Andy Carroll’s never-ending injuries are partly a consequence of his lifestyle and partying.
Allardyce, who managed the Hammers for four years from 2011 to 2015, delivered a no-holds-barred verdict on the 29-year-old forward as he closes in on his latest comeback.
Carroll has not yet played this season after suffering a recurrence of the ankle injury in July that forced him to miss almost three months of the last campaign.
“He has suffered a horrendous injury list and I don’t think it’s ever going to end now,” Allardyce told the Alan Brazil Sport Breakfast on Friday morning. “He could look after himself better, there’s no doubt about that.
“Andy was one of those who would do all he can to get fit but, then, when he got fit, he’d do his training and want to leave, as much as we tried to talk to him and say, ‘you’ve got to keep up your rehab and do this extra stuff to stave off these injuries’.
“Him and Kevin Nolan liked a night out. There’s nothing wrong with that but it depends how much you’re doing it and when you’re doing it. Once a week is okay, but at Premier League level you can ill afford to abuse your body these days”.
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OPINION
Given that Allardyce managed Carroll for two seasons at West Ham, he will know better than most how the party animal’s dreadful injury record is not merely a consequence of his immense bravery and willingness to put his body on the line in the heat of battle. The 6ft 4in giant is out of contract at the end of the season and will surely be released by the Londoners and leave to become a free agent. West Ham reportedly have the option to extend Carroll’s deal by two years, but what’s the point of flogging a dead horse? As Allardyce points out in his withering assessment of the 29-year-old’s lifestyle, the player’s availability is not going to get any better at this point in his career. The former England international has had a decent Premier League career, but could have achieved so much more if he had listened to the advice of the likes of Allardyce, who revealed he urged the colossus to stay behind and do extra training to stave off further injuries. Carroll preferred the bright lights instead.