In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports News senior reporter Tim Thornton, Andy Carroll discusses playing in France, his hope of playing until he is 40, a potential move into management, and further success for Eddie Howe and Newcastle after their Carabao Cup victory…
As we sit in a cafe overlooking the Garonne River, Andy Carroll looks relaxed and happy. He’s playing his football for Bordeaux, the six-time Ligue 1 winners, who gave up their status as a professional club in July and were relegated into France’s fourth tier because of bankruptcy.
Les Girondins struggled to adapt to a new level at the start of the season but Carroll’s arrival in September sparked an upturn in results. He scored eight goals in his first 10 games and admits that life is good for him right now, both on and off the field.
“I thought I’d like to experience something different and try a different way of life, different football, and I’ve ended up here and I’m loving it.
“The lifestyle is very good, it’s a beautiful place to be, the people are lovely and the football’s great. It’s just a nice way of life.”
Carroll with Sky Sports News senior reporter Tim Thornton
Carroll broke the British transfer record in 2011 when he left his boyhood club Newcastle to sign for Liverpool. He made almost 250 appearances in the Premier League, scoring 48 times, and has been capped nine times by England. But he says playing abroad has had a huge impact on his life.
“I think it’s changed my mindset completely. I think being in England for so long, it was so much pressure, and I think football is everywhere in England and everyone just wants to talk about it.
“But here you can get a little escape. I can go and play the football, go training every day, but come outside and just be normal and have a normal life.”
Carroll is having French lessons and jokes that his Geordie accent hasn’t stopped him communicating with his team-mates. He’s become a key figure for the club as they bid to climb back up the French football pyramid.
Carroll discusses life in France in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports News
“I think it’s something that gave me a little bit of buzz. I wanted to be a part of something that could be great.”
He turned 36 in January and with three years remaining on his contract, his aim is to play into his 40s.
“I’ve had a lot of injuries and I think it’s sad for me to think of all the games I’ve missed, and all the comments I’ve had about, ‘you want to be injured’, or, ‘you want to do this’.
“Everyone that knows me knows that’s not the case at all, I’ve just wanted to play football, and now I can get a chance at 36 to play and enjoy it, it’s great.
Carroll was a spectator at Wembley earlier this month to watch his two former clubs Newcastle and Liverpool compete in the Carabao Cup final.
Eddie Howe led Newcastle to a first domestic trophy for 70 years
After watching his boyhood club come out on top, he’s backing Eddie Howe to build on that first domestic trophy in 70 years.
“Eddie has really impressed me. Obviously what he’s done at other clubs as well, Bournemouth, I just think he’s an unbelievable coach and when I speak to the lads at the club, they’ve all said amazing things about him and you can see it, you can see that every player wants to play for him.”
Carroll’s close friend and former Newcastle team-mate Kevin Nolan recently took on the manager’s job at League One side Northampton Town.
Carroll is targeting playing until he’s 40
So could Carroll follow in his footsteps and go into coaching or management?
“I could. When he got that job, I was talking to him and I thought it was going to be the phone call to say, come on, are you coming? It wasn’t but you never know.
“It’s a few years away, hopefully anyway, and let’s see if there’s coaching, management in that.
“But right now, I’m just focused on playing football and enjoying myself”