Andy Carroll hopes to make England debut
Newcastle striker Andy Carroll is hoping a groin injury will not stop him from making his England debut against France on Wednesday.
The No.9 picked up the injury whilst playing in the goalless draw with Fulham on the weekend and received his first call-up from England manager Fabio Capello on Saturday night, and although he is training with the squad at the moment, he is trying to be fit for the game.
“I just felt a twinge in the groin as we were pushing forward to try and get a goal but I don't really know how it happened,” said Carroll. “I saw the doctor after the match and it was decided to have another look at it on Sunday lunchtime.”
Carroll’s form this season earned him the call-up, scoring seven goals in 14 appearances, and the 21-year old doesn’t want to miss his big opportunity. “I hoped that if I got a good night's sleep I might wake up and it would feel better because that's happened before. It felt worse when I got up but improved during the day,” said Carroll.
“There had been a lot of hints that I would get in the England squad and when I got told officially on Saturday night it was the best feeling in the world. But then the prospect of having to pull out felt like the worst feeling in the world” he added.
Carroll has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons with issues away from the pitch, but he is hoping he can turn things around.
“There's been a lot said about me off the pitch and I want to change that round,” he said. “I want people to be talking about what I do on the pitch.
“I think I deserved the call-up. I've been doing well this season and I've got seven goals in the league. Plenty of opposition players and managers have said good things about how I play.
“If I keep my good form going I hope the England manager will be picking me again. I really believe I can score goals for England and I want the chance to prove it.
“Last season when I got 19 goals as we won promotion back to the Premier League, people were saying I could only do it in the Championship and that they'd find out what I was about when I was playing regularly in the Premier League. I think I've shown I can do it in the top division and I'm convinced I can do it as an international as well.
“I'm not afraid of playing for England. I see it as a great challenge and if I miss out this time it will just make me more determined to get in the squad the next time,” Carroll added.
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