Newcastle manager Steve Bruce says Andy Carroll was 'desperate' to return
Friday 9 August 2019 11:20, UK
Newcastle manager Steve Bruce reveals Andy Carroll was "desperate" for a return to his hometown club after he secured a free transfer on Deadline Day.
Carroll has rejoined Newcastle on an initial 12-month contract, eight-and-a-half years after leaving St James' Park, following his release from West Ham in the summer.
The target-man striker scored 33 times for his boyhood club, especially impressing in the club's promotion season to the Premier League in 2009/10 and the following six months in the top-flight, before a record-breaking £35m transfer to Liverpool in January 2011.
Fellow Geordie Steve Bruce said: "Well it was just a conversation with Andy, he was desperate, a bit like me I suppose, to come back. And of course, the big question mark of everybody is can we get him back quickly and can he stay fit?
"If he stays fit, then a fit Andy Carroll is as good as you are going to get. We'll do our utmost.
"He is determined to come and be successful again here, it's his hometown club. It was a no-brainer really, one of them ones where you're delighted to do it."
The 30-year-old, who has had long spells on the sideline with injury, has picked up nine England caps and returns a more experienced player.
Bruce added: "He's not young Andy Carroll anymore, he's at that veteran stage, but make no mistake when the club sold him for record fee he was the best pound-for-pound centre-forward there was around in the country.
"Unfortunately in the last couple of years, in particular, he has picked up a nasty ankle injury, so he can do a lot off the pitch in the dressing room and that's why we really bought him as well to give us that hand in the dressing room."
On the proposed boycott against Arsenal
Bruce's first Premier League game in charge of the Magpies is at home to Arsenal on Sunday, live on Sky Sports Premier League, but it could be a quiet affair as Toon fans prepare to boycott the game in protest of the club's owner Mike Ashley, despite him breaking their record transfer fee for Joelinton this summer.
The new manager said: "Everybody's entitled to boycott if that's what they want to do, they've paid their hard-earned money, and they're entitled to their opinion of course. We have to respect that.
"For me personally, of course, I don't want it to upset the team and we know what a full St James' Park is like for any team coming here, so I hope and I'm convinced that the team will give them something to shout about.
"I'm sure they'll enjoy seeing the new players that we have bought, especially at the top end of the pitch. And of course, like they always would do and what makes it the unique club it is, they get behind the team and that's never wavered.
"We hadn't got off to a great start last year but the Geordie faithful stayed patient and knew that the club would turn it around. I hope that it doesn't affect the team because that's all I can focus on and giving them a team that they're proud of and giving them a team they can associate with."
Live Renault Super Sunday
Arsenal bolstered their attack with the £72m signing of Nicholas Pepe this summer, but Newcastle also strengthened with Joelinton and Carroll, which could make for an exciting affair on Sunday.
Bruce added: "You are always only as good as your strikers.
"When we come up against the big teams, defensively we will have to be spot on. But we have to cause the other teams a threat, we have that threat now."
'I want to prioritise the cups'
Although Premier League survival may be the main priority for the club this season, Bruce is determined to bring silverware to Newcastle with a good cup run.
When asked about his ambitions for the season, Bruce: "It always is to finish as high as we possibly can. Can we go and be better than what we were last year? Can we win a cup?
"Since I walked through the door we are going to try and prioritise the cups because of my experience a few years ago with Hull. If Hull can do it then so can Newcastle surely. That's got to be a little bit of a priority.
"Just to take the club forward really and establish it as a real Premier League football club because let's not forget it was only a couple of years ago that the club was in the Championship, so that's still got to be the aim to be finishing as high as we can and we will see what we can do."
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