Roy Hodgson consulted former Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish before including Andy Carroll in the England squad for Euro 2012.
Hodgson’s
predecessor Fabio Capello criticised Carroll’s lifestyle, suggesting
the ex-Newcastle United striker needed to drink less if he was to
produce his best form.
Carroll, 23, was involved in several
disciplinary breaches during his time at Newcastle, including pleading
guilty to common assault charges.
“The profile Andy Carroll brings interests me very much and I spoke to Kenny at some length about him,” Hodgson said.
“I
didn’t know him too much and you can be tricked by perceptions of
players – by what you hear or read about them – but Kenny praised him
for being serious as a professional, so I had no reservations.
“The
conversation with Kenny maybe put my mind to rest with regards to the
criticism he’s faced for extra-footballing activities. That was very
important for me.”
Despite struggling for goals during much of the
season, Carroll has been praised for his form in the final weeks of the
campaign.
Hodgson confirmed the late improvement, including an outstanding performance as a substitute in Liverpool’s 2-1 FA Cup final defeat to Chelsea, played a role in his decision, but was not decisive.
“I’d
like to think I’ve been in the game long enough not to fall for the
trick of seeing someone have a great game and giving him an England
shirt,” Hodgson said.
“Andy will give me other options because of
his target play and ability. He’s capable of making runs into the
channels, can turn defences around, and can do damage on crosses.
“It
would be fair to say his late burst has maybe given him the nod. It’s
hard for players who go to big clubs. It’s more important how he’s
feeling at the moment and playing at the moment.
“I shouldn’t be
confronting him with the failures of the early part of the season. I
should be encouraging him for the successes of the latter part.”
