Football: Joe Cole praises Liverpool’s Andy Carroll
Liverpool's attacking midfielder Joe Cole has praised his teammate Andy Carroll for his exceptional talents and believes the 22 year old striker is on a great platform to emulate Didier Drogba – the Chelsea striker. The out-of-favour midfield player has insisted that Andy is giving better performances on the pitch than the 33 year old Didier was, at the same age.
Andrew Thomas Andy Carroll is an English professional football player from Tyne and Wear, England. The young footballer is currently playing for the English Premier League club, Liverpool and the England national team. Deployed as a striker, Andy is regarded by many as one of the greatest future prospects of the football arena.
The winter transfer window of 2011 saw Andy Carroll sign a contract worth £35 million with the Liverpool club. On January 31, 2011, the last day of transfer window, Andy moved from Newcastle United side to Anfield and became the most expensive British footballer on earth. Not only that, he is also the second highest paid player on a British club, the first being Fernando Torres.
Since his arrival at the Liverpool club, the Number 9 has remained on the sidelines, unable to give out any spectacular performances. The major reason for his average game-play has been the groin injury that has plagued him. Now that he has recovered from it, Andy’s old form seems to be coming back considering the first senior goal he netted against Ghana on Tuesday.
Andy has the potential to outshine all on the soccer fields once he is back in shape. Joe Cole believes that the 22 year old Englishman can follow in Drogba’s footsteps as he is the team’s hero in disguise.
A little polishing under the right coach could help Andy Carroll fully unleash his talents on the soccer grounds. Lucky for him, Liverpool's first team coach Steve Clarke is currently one of the best in the world.