BILIC: CARROLL FITNESS LIKE FORREST GUMP
SLAVEN BILIC admits he feels like Forrest Gump when it comes to deciding on Andy Carroll’s fitness.
The West Ham manager was full of praise for Carroll after the striker made his first home league start of the season in Wednesday’s win against Burnley.
The striker is battling back after yet another injury lay-off – this time a knee problem that kept him out for three months.
Today Bilic faces another dilemma – to decide whether the forward is fit enough to start his second game in four days, when Hull are the visitors.
And that prompted the Hammers boss to compare himself to the famous movie character played by Tom Hanks.
Bilic said: “There comes a time, when he is fit and looking good in training, when you just have to put him in.
“You could say it’s a bit like Forrest Gump and the chocolate box scene.
“You never know what you are going to get until you open it, although, in Andy’s case, you do know you will always get impact and determination.”
Bilic’s predecessor Sam Allardyce warned Carroll he must hold back on his all-action style in training to protect himself – and Bilic agrees.
He added: “I like intensive training from every player but I’m talking about the first week when he comes back from injury.
“He goes straight in and goes like crazy, 100 per cent, because this is a very important part of his game.
“You don’t want him to lose that because that’s key for the way he plays, but he has to manage the crucial time when he starts training to have something in between.”
Defender Reece Oxford was handed a new fouryear deal on his 18th birthday after interest from the Manchester clubs and Arsenal.