There are few shirts in British football that are as prestigious as that of the number nine at Newcastle. From Hughie Gallacher, to Jackie Milburn, Malcolm Macdonald and of course Alan Shearer, the list of Newcastle number nines is a fearsome one. Newcastle manager Chris Hughton has now given the exalted shirt to local lad Andy Carroll for the 2010/11 Premier League season, a decision that will make Carroll nervous, proud and excited all at the same time. The 21-year-old now has the opportunity to put his name in the history books, and Carroll has all the credentials needed to do just that.
Andy Carroll is a traditional British centre forward, something that there’s a dire shortage of at the moment. The 6ft 3in striker has a physical presence and boy does he use it! He’s not afraid to throw his weight around (just ask Steven Taylor), but it’s on the pitch that matters and this is where Carroll is making a name for himself. He gave Championship defences a torrid time last season, as they attempted to play Carroll at his own game, coming off second best, with a duel with Sheffield United’s Chris Morgan a particular highlight. This season is a new test though, as Premier League defences will be cleverer and play with more intelligence on the whole, forcing Carroll to draw on his other assets.
While physicality is Carroll’s major weapon, ultimately it will be his goal scoring record on which he’s judged. Last season he netted 17 goals in 39 Championship appearances – not bad when you add in his assists as well. This season anything above ten league goals will probably be regarded as a success, given his all round contribution to the team. It’s unlikely that Carroll will ever bang in the amount of goals previous illustrious Newcastle number nines have done and it would be wrong to expect him to. Although every striker has to be a goal scorer, Carroll is more than that and football is not just about numbers.
Carroll himself has had this to say on being handed the number nine shirt: “It’s every young Geordie lads’ dream to be a Newcastle United number nine and I’m so lucky to be given that chance. It’s an opportunity I relish and intend doing my upmost to do the shirt proud.” (Official Website). The importance of being a local lad and buying into the meaning of the shirt should not be underestimated. Just wearing the shirt should give him all the motivation required every time he walks onto the pitch, but more significantly being given the shirt should give him all the confidence he needs.
Andy Carroll is just at the beginning of what could prove to be a long and illustrious career at Newcastle. This campaign will be the first full Premier League season in which Carroll will be a first-choice striker at St James’ Park and thus the local lad will have to deal with the pressure and expectation that comes with that. One thing’s for sure, he can count on the support of the Toon Army and every goal he scores this season will be cheered to the rafters. Let’s just hope there’s plenty of them and that Andy Carroll shows why he’s up to what many see as a daunting task.
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