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Pardew – ‘It’s Carroll For Me’

12 years ago
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From various sources within the football club I keep hearing that Alan Pardew is a real workaholic and since the season has finished he certainly doesn’t seem to have managed to drag himself away from the game.

Writing in the Independent, Pardew revealed that even on a recent holiday in France he was watching their match against Estonia with the locals.

‘The Manager Of The Year’ also confirmed his ongoing admiration for Andy Carroll as he believes he should start against France.

“I would play Andy (Carroll) because he really would upset the two French centre-halves, who look something of a weak link to me.

….having worked with Andy I know his hold-up play and physical presence, especially at set plays, is something completely different. At the last World Cup something like 65 per cent of the goals came either from set plays or the next phase afterwards and it’s an aspect of the game that in England we’re very good at”.

It wouldn’t surprise me in the least to one day see Carroll back at Newcastle, I don’t see any long-term future at Liverpool and apart from possibly Tottenham I can’t see any of the other teams at the top considering him. There would of course be the small matter of his wages to sort out…

I know that statistical information and tactical background are a big part of Pardew’s and Newcastle’s approach to matches and it makes me smile that our manager even knows stats like the one above about how goals were scored at the last World Cup.

Alan Pardew also gave a big thumbs up for Graham Carr and revealed, unsurprisingly, that Carr will be over in Poland/Ukraine;

“Just about every Premier League club will have scouts in Poland and Ukraine. From Newcastle’s perspective there are obviously players we know very well; there is one in particular I am keen to look at. The worry is that if they do too well the agents and the player are suddenly in a stronger position and the cost goes up.

So as a manager you’re hoping they do OK but not too well! Our chief scout, Graham Carr, who has done a great job, will be out there and I am delighted that the club rewarded him at the end of last week with a long contract.

Managers often get the plaudits for a good signing but these guys are easily underrated. Graham had already brought people like Cheick Tioté and Demba Ba to the club and he pointed me in the direction of people like Yohan Cabaye and Papiss Cissé who have been invaluable. So it’s richly deserved reward for him”.

I have a feeling that Graham Carr will not be the only high powered Newcastle representative who won’t be able to take his eyes off events at the Euros, as with value for money the core part of Newcastle’s transfer strategy, Pardew will be looking to make every penny count.

 

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