Carroll maintains he never wanted to leave Newcastle
NEWCASTLE manager Alan Pardew and his former striker Andy Carroll were last night locked in a war of words over who initiated the 22-year-old’s record £35m move to Liverpool.
Carroll maintains he was forced into handing in a transfer request to facilitate the move and insists leaving St James’ Park was never on his agenda until it became clear to him that the club were eager to cash in.
He said: “Managing director Derek Llambias asked me to hand in a transfer request, so I was pushed into a corner and had no choice. I wasn’t wanted by them and they made it clear they wanted the money.
“I’m gutted that I wasn’t wanted at my home team after everything I have done and the progress I have made. I didn’t want to leave at all.”
But Pardew’s take on events couldn’t be more different, the former West Ham boss suggested Carroll asked to leave after being denied a new contract, having only agreed terms on a fresh deal in October.
“We didn’t force anybody to leave,” he said. “I disagree with that point. He had a contract here for five years, and at some point it would get renewed, but for him to sign in October and it get renewed in January – where would it stop?”