JUST A COUPLE of days before Andy Carroll could mark his first anniversary as a Liverpool player, rumour was rife that he would be shipped out again.
However, the struggling striker insists he has no thoughts of leaving Merseyside any time soon.
“I’m just here.” Carroll told reporters, “I’ve signed a contract here and this is the team I’m playing for, I love it here. All the lads are great with me in training and away from the training ground everyone has been great with me as well.”
Various Sunday papers suggested that Liverpool had failed in a bid to swap Carroll with Manchester City’s want-away Argentinian, Carlos Tevez. That story was merely the result of intense speculation that Kenny Dalglish is ready to cut him loose.
Earlier this month Carroll was said to be homesick homesick for his native Newcastle and his former club had lodged a bid to bring him back to Tyneside on a massively reduced fee. But the 23-year-old says that his 12 month teething period in the north-west could be at an end.
“I think I’m just getting into my stride now. Everyone is getting used to how I play and I’m getting used to everyone else but everyone is helping me and now I just need to get going.”
Carroll put in one of his most effective performances in a red jersey on Saturday afternoon when he laid on the winning goal for Dirk Kuyt in the 2- 1 FA Cup victory over Manchester United. He is keen use that good showing as a springboard for the rest of his time at Liverpool.
“I thought I did well (on Saturday) but now I’ve just got to keep on going and keep working on it and then it will come,” he added. “Obviously it was nice to get an assist. Winning in midweek and getting to the (Carling Cup) final and then Man United coming here, beating them and getting through, it’s a great feeling.”
Though evidently happy with one of the better weeks in the Reds season, Carroll joined his captain and his manager in refocusing on the areas which need improvement and concentrating on the next league game, tomorrow night.
“It was disappointing last week against Bolton and we needed to put that right. We did that. We’ve had two great wins back to back and now we need to carry that form on to Wolves on Tuesday night and then to Tottenham next week.”
