Why the idea of Carroll coming back to Newcastle would be absurd

Posted on January 13th, 2012 | 11 Comments |

Andy Carroll.
Carroll: That isn't an NUFC contract he's signing.
Once again the tabloid media have attempted to test our credulity, this time with the risible idea that Liverpool would be willing to dispose of Andy Carroll for a fraction of the £35 million they paid for him just one year ago, and to Newcastle United of all clubs.

Firstly the figure of £20 million was bandied around by the media, then £15 million, then it even went as low as £10 million. However, whilst Derek Llambias, Mike Ashley and Alan Pardew are at the club, the chances of this happening must be slim to say the least.

For a start, there is such a thing as pride in business sometimes and Liverpool are still a proud club. They will hardly feel inclined to do Newcastle United any favours after Derek Llambias’ ill advised revelations in a Newcastle gastro pub. Just to remind you, when asked by a fan if Carroll was worth £30 million, the potty mouthed M.D. replied:

“No – he’s worth f*** all.”

Then, bragging how he and Mike Ashley took “control” of the hapless Merseyside club, who had just sold Fernando Torres for a record breaking £50 million to Chelsea, he then added:

“It is about control. We had the control. We knew the Torres deal was there. We drew that f****** deal, perhaps the ultimate.”

On his response to Liverpool’s initial £30 million offer Llambias continued:

“So £30m? F*** off! Don’t waste my time and I slammed the phone down.

“£35m? Everybody including Pardew all agreed.

Then, detailing how he and Ashley turned the screw still further, he bragged on:

“But the £35m they wanted to pay over four years. It was rubbish. Mike (Ashley) said — and he is a brave boy Mike I promise you — get all the £35m up front.

“We got it all up front and then they never paid us on time and we charged them 12 grand f****** interest.”

Dear reader, I need hardly need to tell you that the powers that be at Anfield wouldn’t exactly have been delighted to read about themselves being humiliated like this in public by Llambias. Whatever Carroll’s situation at Liverpool, Ashley and Llambias are likely to be the last people they would turn to after that insult, and with the considerable financial backing of the American Fenway Sports Group, they are hardly that desperate either.

Looking at things from Carroll’s point of view, there is also a similar issue. If what Llambias said above is true, that would mean that both Llambias and Alan Pardew tried to mislead Newcastle United fans over the circumstances of his departure, they would have made a pariah of the Gateshead striker with false claims that it was he who forced the move and that their hands were tied because of this. This of course is what Carroll claimed just after the move. Under those circumstances, a rapprochement would be difficult to say the least.

Another factor is that Liverpool have had controversy of their own in recent times, with Carroll’s fellow striker at at the club, Luis Suarez, being banned for eight games for alleged racial abuse of Manchester United’s Patrice Evra. As well as this, Suarez has already served a one match ban recently for making an obscene gesture at a Fulham supporter. These bans have given Carroll a golden opportunity to step in and finally make his mark at Liverpool after what has been a difficult and injury plagued first year at the club.

Finally of course, Liverpool’s manager Kenny Dalglish, as well as Carroll’s representattives and Newcastle United themselves have all vehemently denied the rumours. Dalglish said after Liverpool’s recent League Cup defeat of Manchester City, a game which Carroll started:

“I’m worried about the people that invent them (the rumours),”

“It has absolutely no foundation whatsoever. I don’t need to justify what’s in the paper. That’s your (journalists) job. I have stood up – and always will stand up – for the players.

“You justify your profession and you justify the story.”

Of course, there have been other situations in the past where managers, agents and clubs have said things to the media only to make a complete reversal later, not least at Newcastle United in recent times over Carroll himself. However with all the other “baggage” in this affair, even in the crazy world of Newcastle United where practically anything can happen, it hardly seems likely in this case.

Even if Liverpool were willing to take a huge hit on Carroll’s original transfer fee, Newcastle United would almost certainly be one of the last clubs they would want to talk to.

NUFCBlog Author: workyticket workyticket has written 1091 articles on this blog.

Related Posts:

Posted on by workyticket in category: Alan Pardew and Andy Carroll and Club Policies and Politics and Derek Llambias and Former players and Interviews and Mike Ashley and NUFC fans and NUFC gossip and speculation and Thoughts and reflections and Workyticket , with tags:
Comment on this post

11 Responses

  2. Strangely enough, despite all the furore and Lamearse’s vitriolic comments about both Carroll and Liverpool, I can see them buying Carroll back if the deal is right and it makes “good business sense”.

    Shame is not Llambias’s strong point after all.

    As it happens though, I tend to think that much of this particular speculation about Carroll coming back is mere press invention.

    So, no, I don’t think he’ll come back, but not because of anything Llambias or Carroll said at the time (or since).

  3. I can see the logic in Andy leaving Liverpool at some stage if things continue not to work out for him, but have to agree it’s unlikely he would be allowed to come to us after “Owl-Heed’s” outburst.

  4. What a well balanced blog. It just oozes common sense.

    From a Liverpool fans perspective I would agree that based on displays to date we have paid £25m too much for Carroll, however we have got a bargain and probably paid £10m too little for Enrique, who is top top draw.

    It also need to be remembered that Carroll’s value was based on potential, more so than how good he is now.
    Saying that we are starting to see better performances from him, and I think it is only a matter of time before he starts delivering big time.

  6. Get them on Jeremy Kyle and do a lie detector test to see if Carroll was pushed or if he went for glory (not much in the last 5 years for a big club). U may have got a bargain with enrique but remember why he isn’t in the Spain squad??? He switches off a hell of a lot and gets himself into pickles and throws a tantrum blaming everyone else. Footballers are all the same they are driven by money not passion

  7. @ StevenGJ
    Whichever way you look at it we bought a £15m full back for £5m, or you sold a full back worth £15m for £5m. NUFC only have themselves to blame for not tying up the contractual side of things better, but then after the Owen debacle I cant say I blame you!

    @Webbo
    Agree all footballers are driven by money, Owen being the perfect example.
    However in relation to the problems with Enrique, we have seen none of the issues you mention. He has been our stand out player this season, and we like you can only judge on what we see at our club.

  8. Not “would be”-it IS absurd.

    The version of this fairy tale where he comes on loan was more believable.

    I have no ideas about these holes in JE’s game so many talk about since he left…didn’t see them when he was here after his first season, when the English game seemed a bit much for him.

  9. Webbo says:
    January 13, 2012 at 10:28 am

    “Get them on Jeremy Kyle and do a lie detector test”

    Webbo, if Llambias took a lie detector test, the machine wouldn’t be able to handle all the lies. It’s little needles would go off the scale then it would probably explode.

  10. tunyc says:
    January 13, 2012 at 12:57 pm

    “I have no ideas about these holes in JE’s game so many talk about since he left”

    Neither do I tunyc. he’s an excellent full back who deserved to be a “player of the season” at NUFC and Liverpool got him for a very good price. His contract situation did have something to do with this, just as it did when we bought Cabaye at 50% off. He was just what Liverpool needed too.