Newcastle: Was Llambias Right That Carroll's Worth "F*ck All"?

By Simon Gallagher / October 12, 2014

Remember the time Derek Llambias spoke out about Newcastle fans, Alan Shearer, Kevin Keegan, Chris Hughton and Andy Carroll's ridiculous over-pricing in 2011? He has said that Hughton was too nice, Shearer a poor manager, Keegan petulant and Liverpool stupid for paying £35m for the Geordie striker. With Newcastle again linked with a move for their former striker - now looking like fourth choice at West Ham - this January, Llambias' quotes about him in particular seemed particularly pertinent. In the interest of disclosure, Llambias - who was recorded by fans - was apparently quoted as saying that Carroll was worth "f*ck all" - and that the club had nonetheless held out to get even more:

€œIt is about control. We had the control. We knew the Torres deal was there. We drew that f*cking deal, perhaps the ultimate. So £30m? F*ck off! Don€™t waste my time and I slammed the phone down. £35m? Everybody including Pardew all agreed.€

The revelations about the way Newcastle manipulated Liverpool were telling, and actually prove that Llambias at least once had the best interests of the club at heart, but everything else he said was bound to rile fans up. But looking back on those quotes, Llambias was a lot more right than some might be comfortable with admitting: Keegan was quick to run away when the going got tough, Shearer was a poor choice of manager, and Hughton probably was too nice. And there's no doubt that Carroll wasn't worth anything like the £35m the club got for him upfront from Liverpool. And now, three years on, it looks like Llambias was nailed on with his rather crude assessment of the player: he is perpetually injured, doesn't score goals (understandably since he can't play) and he allegedly costs £100k a week. A goal every 6 games when he is fit isn't anywhere near justifying that sort of wage, but if Newcastle could get him back to the form he captured before leaving for Liverpool, at the right price he could be worth a punt. He's certainly worth more than "f*ck all" if he can score 10-15 goals a season alongside someone like Papiss Cisse. Would you have Andy Carroll back at Newcastle?