Andy Carroll

[stu1]

One minute people are complaining about the state of our world class training facilities the next bemoaning an injury plagued player in an injury plagued team.

Pretty much every manager to manage him has questioned his professionalism and implied he doesn’t look after himself (even Sam, who loves him), so it’s hardly surprising the majority of fans feel his injuries aren’t simply down to bad luck.

He also doesn’t help himself when in interviews he’s asked what he’s been doing whilst injured he responds by talking about his recent holidays.

[steveyrockstar]

Question time, folks!

Is the overwhelming dislike towards Carroll because of the belief that his injuries are largely self-inflicted through not caring for himself off the pitch? Or is it because he is literally just injured all the time, therefore borne of sheer frustration? Or is it because people don't approve of his alleged lifestyle, a sense that he's living the dream life without ever having to do much?

If it's the latter, Frank McAvennie was apparently one of the biggest liggers and playboys around, yet he regales his stories to fans and everyone thinks he's an icon, a legend and hilarious. But he had one brilliant season so that makes it all okay? Or do some view him in a similar light?

[jaybs]

Question answer! For me Carroll is far too big headed! full of himself, I bet when he was young his height he stood out, at Newcastle at a lower level he looked good! Liverpool signed him, but why did they let him go? London was never the right place for him, because Big Sam worshipped him did not help, ideal for kick & hoof!

But based in London he soon went off the rails off the pitch, too many temptations and he loves the Big Life, often putting that first! in the last season or two he has become more like a cart horse! I can't say not looking after himself has made him so injury prone, it is sad when players suffer so many times with injuries, but we are not a Charity for injured players, his wage does not reflect what he now brings to the club, would he accept a new contract of £35,000 a week, be a bench player, perhaps get a goal bonus? I really doubt so he still believes he is the Best but compare him to Kane and he is 1st Division. If he has one more long term injury he has to be finished!

Never seen many clubs chasing him, how much would anyone offer us for him, little! to give him a new contract would be a major error and send the wrong message out to the good players we now have!

[Lil Joe 17]

I really doubt so he still believes he is the Best but compare him to Kane and he is 1st Division.

Kane is one of, if not the best centre forward in the world.

Compare Felipe Anderson to Lionel Messi and he is 1st division.

[The Old Man of Storr]

Question time, folks!

Is the overwhelming dislike towards Carroll because of the belief that his injuries are largely self-inflicted through not caring for himself off the pitch? Or is it because he is literally just injured all the time, therefore borne of sheer frustration? Or is it because people don't approve of his alleged lifestyle, a sense that he's living the dream life without ever having to do much?

If it's the latter, Frank McAvennie was apparently one of the biggest liggers and playboys around, yet he regales his stories to fans and everyone thinks he's an icon, a legend and hilarious. But he had one brilliant season so that makes it all okay? Or do some view him in a similar light?

An excellent question , Stevey .

If you took away the 1985/86 season , the best season of mine and others' lifetime it is possible to compare Frank's West Ham career to that of Andy Carroll's .
The injury which broke Frank's leg back on the opening day of the '89/90 season just compunded the bad luck that had been haunting us ever since that memorable season of 85/86 . After finishing 3rd we could only manage 15th then 16th and then 19th and relegation , John Lyall the best manager West Ham have ever had and the man who re-signed McAvennie had by now been sacked .
By the time Frank had recovered from injury Lou Macari had come and gone to be replaced by former West Ham Captain and hero , Billy Bonds - Frank's lifestyle didn't go down too well with health fanatic , Billy and the two inevitably fell out . Now the fans had a bit of a problem on their hands , who did they back , goalscoring hero or manager ?
At the time I thought Frank could do no wrong and I blamed Billy for being too much of a disciplinarian but of course I had no inkling of what was really going on behind the scenes and with hindsight I'd always back the manager .

West Ham made Frank McAvennie , after scoring 28 goals in what was a superb partnership with Tony Cottee he appeared on The Terry Wogan Show and on the back pages of every newspaper in Brtain , from relative unknown at St Mirren he was now a footballing celebrity and despite only a earning 2000 pounds per week in 1989 he partied like it was 1999 .

But Frank helped give us some of our best ever memories and for that we'll always look back on his West Ham career through claret and blue specs despite the reality being somewhat different , we'll always remember Frank for '85/'86 , not for any other season he played for us but despite all that you can't help but love the man .
Andy Carroll's first season at West Ham was a success too , the supporters sang songs begging him to stay but like Frank McAvennie he only gave us one great season but unlike Frank I can't see West Ham supporters looking back on his career with any fondness .

[Kialos]

1986 was 32 years ago. Andy Carroll wasn't even born then.

[LouieOneChop]

That overhead kick tho

[Cuenca 'ammer]

that we can remember only one goal, however brilliant it was, says a lot about his career with us.

[rciron]

Pony conyo :lol:

[stu1]

Is the overwhelming dislike towards Carroll because of the belief that his injuries are largely self-inflicted through not caring for himself off the pitch?

This is the main reason for me. If he was dedicated to his rehab and staying fit yet kept getting injured, I’d actually feel quite sorry for him, certainly not anger.

Then add in the fact some often suggest he’s far better than he really is also leads to me to criticise him. To hear people suggest he’d be starting in front of Kane or would be one of the best strikers in Europe if he was fit I just find staggering. They seem to focus on the 15-20 good games he’s had for us and ignore the vast majority where he’s been rather average and on occasions a complete donkey.

[rciron]

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[Graza]

Question time, folks!

Is the overwhelming dislike towards Carroll because of the belief that his injuries are largely self-inflicted through not caring for himself off the pitch? Or is it because he is literally just injured all the time, therefore borne of sheer frustration?

The first causing the second compounded by massive wages and the way that for the 2 games a year when he is actually match fit he is actually very good (not with his feet like but he makes an impact). You'd think that after the first few times he'd learn, reign it in and sort himself out. But when handed so much so young with a long big money deal secured he doesn't seem to want to.

I reckon he'll be bankrupt inside 5 years of finishing playing, and that will be whenever we let his contract lapse. No one else will take him except on a pay as you play and he'll believe he can hold out for another mega deal. Can you imagine what six months with no physios and trainers looking out for him would do to the man? Look at what happened to Fury when he stopped boxing for a bit.

[DasNutNock]

His best goal for us was when he was here on loan and he clambered all over Man Utd’s much-vaunted defence with one of the best physical CF displays I’ve seen since the rules were changed to stop that sort of thing.

That was a long time ago.

[JerseyHammer]

If it's the latter, Frank McAvennie was apparently one of the biggest liggers and playboys around, yet he regales his stories to fans and everyone thinks he's an icon, a legend and hilarious. But he had one brilliant season so that makes it all okay? Or do some view him in a similar light?

Agree with Graza.

We had Tony Cottee over to the Jersey Hammers supporters club a few years back. He was asked what his salary was during this time and said they (McAvennie & Cottee) were both on roughly £400 a week, national average wage at the time was £100 a week. So, a good salary but "only" 4 times national average.

Carroll is reportedly on what, £90k a week with an average salary of what, £600 a week at the moment as a guess (apart from us WHU fans who are all on £1k / week according to a certain someone). I think the money is also what winds people up. He's earning a fortune, more than enough so that he'd never have to work again providing he manages to not piss it all up the wall - something that seems quite unlikely - but I would also see this as a contributing factor.

[kenthammer1984]

His best goal for us was when he was here on loan and he clambered all over Man Utd’s much-vaunted defence with one of the best physical CF displays I’ve seen since the rules were changed to stop that sort of thing.

That was a long time ago.

The game where he absolutely battered into De Gea like a torpedo?

[DasNutNock]

The game where he absolutely battered into De Gea like a torpedo?

Aye, cleaned out Vidic in the same move. Poetry in motion, sort of.

[Colours never run]

It was a massive foul but I still loved it nonetheless.

As much has his persistent injuries and lack of professionalism f*** me right off, I do have a soft spot for Carroll and the way he plays. He'll be another one of those, "what if" players had he been more dedicated as a professional athlete at the highest level. He should have had close to 50 caps by now.

[James P]

that we can remember only one goal, however brilliant it was, says a lot about his career with us.

That that goal overshadows a hat trick against Arsenal says a lot about how good a goal it was.

[LouieOneChop]

Ive got no synpathy for Andy and he doesnt deserve any but ill be sad to see him go when the time comes.

When hes on form and fit he plays with passion, i hope we can manage his game time better now that we arent so reliant on him, great option off the bench when opposition defences are tiring.

[Danny's Dyer Acting]

Question answer!

[the usual ramblings...]

Question!

Did he bang your missus?