3 Reasons why Andy Carroll's return to Newcastle United is good for both player and club
Andy Carroll re-signed for Newcastle United on transfer deadline day when his contract expired at West Ham. Steve Bruce explained the details of Carroll’s contract, amid concerns regarding his fitness record saying, "It’s all incentivised about playing, for a start. And Andy made it very clear to me, a bit like myself, he didn’t hesitate to sign it.”
After making 142 appearances for West Ham in six seasons, Carroll’s transfer to Newcastle represents a level of risk; but that risk has been minimized by the nature of the contract accepted by Carroll. And if Carroll can get anywhere near the level he had shown during his first stint on Tyneside when he scored 33 goals in 90 appearances, then the gamble will have most certainly paid off.
Here, we look at the 3 reasons why Andy Carroll re-signing for Newcastle represents both good value for both player and club.
Minimal risk
With Carroll accepting an incentivized deal, it means there is a minimal risk for Newcastle United if Carroll breaks down again. During his time at West Ham, he had been ruled out with a hamstring injury, a knee injury, a fractured foot, a heel injury, ligament injuries, groin injuries and ankle injuries. These injuries disrupted his West Ham career so much that he often found himself either on the substitutes bench or out of the squad altogether. Therefore, a pay-as-you-play type deal represents a minimal risk for Newcastle United.
A pay-as-you-play deal represents a minimal risk for Carroll too. If Carroll plays and goes on to do well then his value will increase again to a point where he would be able to command a higher salary from Newcastle or any other potential suitors. At the moment, his profile in the game is low, but if all goes well at Newcastle – as it had during his first stint – then his stock will rise again, and he will hold a stronger hand in future contract negotiations.
Carroll knows the club and the club know him
Newcastle United hasn’t changed much since Andy Carroll left for Liverpool 8 years ago. Both know what to expect, and both know what they’re going to get from each other. Carroll is also an experienced Premier League player, despite all the time spent on the treatment table. If he can be kept fit, he is capable of scoring the goals to keep Newcastle in the Premier League, just as he had scored the goals that helped the club return from the Championship after their relegation.
Unlike Newcastle’s other signings this transfer window, Carroll won’t need any time to adapt to the club, the hierarchical setup, or the city. This could prove to be vital, because sometimes foreign players can take a long time to adapt to the North East, to England and to the Premier League.
Motivation
Both Carroll and Newcastle would have equal amounts of motivation for this transfer to be a success. Andy Carroll will be determined to show he still has what it takes to be a top-level centre forward, and the club will be hoping that it works, because a local boy scoring goals in a black and white shirt will do wonders to hold off the ongoing boycott by the fans from gaining any kind of momentum as the season goes on.
Therefore, Carroll should be motivated by the desire to rescue his career while at the same time representing his hometown team. The club's motivation comes from the idea that if Carroll does succeed, then it will quell the animosity from the locals.
All eyes on Tyneside will be watching in anticipation to see how this turns out.