Liverpool will put Kop-flop striker Andy Carroll in a 12-month boot camp in a bid to salvage his Anfield career.
The £35million star’s diet and drinking will be closely monitored – and he is even prepared to ditch his trademark ponytail as worried Kop chiefs plan a new clean-cut image for him.
Carroll, 22, has scored just four goals in 16 Premier League games since his move from Newcastle in January – a slump that that has seen him drop out of the England reckoning.
Three Lions boss Fabio Capello left him out of the squad for the games against Spain and Sweden and he hasn’t been guaranteed a Liverpool starting place this season.
The new year-long health kick imposed by Anfield chiefs is a clear sign they are disturbed by his conditioning, even though they have repeatedly denied it.
A source said: “Andy is happy to go along with this long training schedule Liverpool have devised for him. It’s a conditioning program which will look at his whole lifestyle. While Carroll is obviously a big lad he is not particularly muscular and they want to put this right. They are not looking to give him more bulk, but more strength.
“He knows that as a £35m signing he should be the first name on the Liverpool team-sheet for the game at Chelsea but he also knows this won’t be the case.
“And as far as England is concerned he feels that his international career is going backwards.” Significantly, when asked if Carroll still had an England future, Capello replied: “Yes. But it depends on him, not on me.”
But Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish is defiant about his out-of-condition striker...and particularly that hefty fee.
Dalglish said: “Andy’s price-tag is only a problem for other people, not for us.
“He replaced a £50m striker which means we are £15m up on the deal – so he’s not a bad buy. Besides, we don’t look at anyone’s price.
“If someone comes here for nothing it doesn’t mean he has to be better than someone who has come here for £20m. If you can pass, play and score it’s no problem what you cost. Money is irrelevant.
“We are delighted with Andy Carroll. Two of the last three games he’s played have been his best two for the club.
“I don’t know where people get their ideas from about Andy. Stories appear on the internet about him and people follow it up even though it’s not always true.”
England boss Capello has warned Carroll he must be playing regularly and scoring goals to be under consideration for the Euro 2012 finals in Poland and Ukraine next summer.
The England boss said: “Andy Carroll is a good player and a good talent but in this moment we need to wait.
“First, he needs to score goals. For forwards it is like a drug – they need goals and I am waiting for his goals. I am looking for his goals.
“But I’m not worried about him. With young players you need to wait sometimes.
“When some players change clubs, like Carroll from Newcastle to Liverpool, the pressure is different.”
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