Carroll’s Scot to get another cap
STRIKER TARGETS MORE INTERNATIONAL DUTY
ANDY CARROLL says he joined West Ham to boost his England career – but the striker almost ended up playing for SCOTLAND.
The Hammers were happy to land the former Newcastle man in a £ 15million deal with Liverpool.
The 24- year- old declared: “I want to keep fit, score goals and perform week- in weekout. If I do that, hopefully I’ll get into the England team.”
A heel injury will force him to wait to add to his nine caps for the Three Lions, which have seen him bag two goals including a thumping header in the 3- 2 win over Sweden in the Euro 2012 finals.
But Carroll could have defected to Scotland at the start of his career as his grandmother was born north of the border.
Alex McLeish tried to convert him to the Tartan Army when Carroll was a teenager in Newcastle’s reserves – and his successor as Scotland boss, Craig Levein, also had a crack.
But Carroll always believed he could break into the England side and turned them down.
The Hammers have shown they mean business by handing Carroll a six- year deal worth £ 100,000 a week.
But they are also keen to bring in another goal- getter and Chelsea’s Demba Ba is in the frame.
Banging
The Senegal star only joined the Blues in January but new Stamford Bridge surpremo Jose Mourinho is not a fan.
Ba is a former West Ham player and was signed for just £ 2m by Avram Grant because the Israeli knew the striker had a long- term knee problem.
That didn’t stop him banging in seven goals in his 13 games.
Ba left to join Newcastle but now the Hammers are back in the top flight, they hope the 28- year- old is prepared to give it another go.
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce is also keen on another Chelsea striker, Romelu Lukaku.
The Belgium youngster spent last season on loan at West Brom and Big Sam would be happy to borrow him for a similar period next season.