csconstantine.com

By Colin Young
Last updated at 11:07 PM on 1st February 2011

The fall-out after Andy Carroll’s departure from Newcastle has descended into a war of words between the ?35million Liverpool forward and Toon boss Alan Pardew.

Carroll maintains he was forced out of St James’ Park by owner Mike Ashley, managing director Derek Llambias and Pardew following Liverpool’s incredible bid for the England striker on Monday.

Pardew claimed the 21-year-old wanted to quit Tyneside after his pleas for a new contract were rejected.

The Newcastle boss said: ‘Some of the things he said, he’s slightly misguided. We certainly didn’t twist his arm to put in the request or get on the helicopter. He had a five-year contract, we said we would renew it in the summer.

‘He wanted to renew it straight away. He indicated to me in my room that he wanted a new deal, and if he couldn’t get that new deal he wanted the option of talking to Liverpool.

‘I said, “You need to put that in writing”, and he did and that’s it. We have not tried to sell Andy Carroll.

‘When I was asked, he was not for sale. But when you get a player who is the commodity that he is, you are going to get the big, big clubs involved with him and his representatives. Unfortunately for us, that has happened.

‘We knocked back so many bids for him and I was adamant he wasn’t going to go until extraordinary circumstances came along.

'When I first heard the bid from Liverpool at 8am, a substantial bid, my advice was to turn it down. But the figure is a record for a British player, a 21-year-old who has done six months in the Premier League.’

Carroll, who Pardew revealed is out for at least a month with a thigh problem, insists he was forced to put in a transfer request and ‘pushed out’.

He said: ‘I was in talks about a new contract with the gaffer. He told me they were now not going to give me a contract. That was as soon as the offer of ?30million came in.

‘I asked why and he said his hands were tied. He said it wasn’t up to him and then I was allowed to talk to Liverpool. The owner made it clear to me that I was not wanted, saying that his own helicopter was waiting for me to go down to talk to them.

‘Derek asked me to hand in a transfer request. I had no choice.

‘I’m gutted that I wasn’t wanted at my home team. I didn’t want to leave at all.’

Pardew reassured Newcastle fans that the ?35m would be re-invested in players.

‘That is Andy’s legacy to the team,’ he said.

‘I told Mike, “Look, if that boy is going, this money has to be reinvested in the team. All of it”. And he assured me of that.

‘It could not be used on Monday night. It would have been paying an inflated price for a lesser product than Andy Carroll.’

Labels: blasts, Carroll, claims, Daily, leave, Pardew, quitter, striker, wanted

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West Bromwich Albion have installed Roy Hodgson as their No1 choice to take over from the sacked Roberto Di Matteo, although they would appear to have plenty of work to do before he could be persuaded to take the job as the manager.

The Midlands club, who have placed the coach Michael Appleton in caretaker charge ahead of the relegation crunch match against West Ham United at The Hawthorns on Saturday, are also keen to talk to Chris Hughton, as they prepare to take the decision upon which their Premier League survival could hinge.

Hodgson and Hughton are both out of work, having been sacked by Liverpool and Newcastle United respectively, and the former has the added advantage of 35 years of managerial experience. Although Hodgson endured a disastrous time at Liverpool his work at Fulham, where he initially helped them to stave off relegation before building them up to greater heights, he has been noted by the Albion board of directors.

The worry for Albion is whether Hodgson can be convinced that they represent his most attractive route back into the game. Moreover, the chairman, Jeremy Peace, is known for keeping a tight grip on the purse strings and Hodgson might prove too expensive for him.

Hughton would seem a more viable option and so might Appleton, who hopes to audition successfully for the post against West Ham. To his mind, it is his job to lose and he hopes to have not only the West Ham game but also the one against Wolverhampton Wanderers thereafter. He has held his first meetings with the backroom and sports science staffs to outline preparations for the visit of West Ham.

Appleton, a former Manchester United and West Bromwich midfielder, whose playing career was cut short by injury, has been coaching at The Hawthorns for five years and, crucially, he has the respect of the players. He is also well regarded by the club's hierarchy, who appreciate that he has turned down the opportunity to leave for other posts on no fewer than seven occasions.

Appleton can look to the Blackburn Rovers manager, Steve Kean, for inspiration. Kean, who had coached at Ewood Park, was promoted from within by the club's owners after the sacking of Sam Allardyce and after he spent a brief period as the caretaker manager.

Albion have dismissed suggestions that the dismissal of Di Matteo on Sunday morning was knee-jerk. The team's results had been poor over a period of time – they are on a run of 13 defeats in 18 matches – while questions had also been asked about the Italian's man-management style.

The club maintain that they have at open mind over the search for his successor, with nothing as yet set in stone. One option under consideration is the appointment of a fire-fighter on a short-term contract until the end of the season, with the brief to keep the team in the Premier League. One manager who can be discounted is Allardyce, who was never an option for Peace, while Steve McClaren, sacked by Wolfsburg, would not be interested in the vacancy.

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