To many observers the fact that West Ham United are discussing an extension to Andy Carroll's contract seems to be a bewildering course of action, apparently the club do have an option to extend Carroll's contract for a further two years! Given the Big Geordie's infamous injury record, what on earth could be behind the logic of retaining his services? Up until now manager Manuel Pellegrini has invariably been correct with his appraisal of players, with the obvious exception of Jack Wilshere of course, so what has influenced the vastly experienced 'Pele' to make him even mention the words Carroll and new contract in the same sentence?
Marko Arnoutovic's predicted one month lay off whilst inconvenient couldn't have happened at a better time, if ever there is such a thing as a good time for an injury, the timing coincides with Carroll's return to fitness and a return to form for Javier Hernandez as well as a welcome showing from Lucas Perez. The impending possibility of youngster Xande Silva being added to the matchday squad now that he has overcome his early season injury means that Pellegrini, unlike previous Hammers managers, does have options and can select players to suit the games while also rotating those who need a break. 'Arnie's' enforced lay off will mean he will have time for his niggling knee injury to heal, he had looked very uncomfortable for the last few matches and always looked as if he was carrying a pretty serious but manageable injury, hopefully he will return full of vim and vigour.
So do the club need Carroll as well as all the others? The answer is not as straight forward as it seems, Carroll's reputed £80-90,000 per week was a huge deal when it was signed nearly six years ago and the figure is still high, but in the current climate £80,000 per week is standard money for 'FIFA' stars whether they are fit or not! There is also the consideration that having virtually rebuilt Carroll in the Kieron Dyer memorial ward at vast expense that the club would like to see some form of positive return, either by Carroll actually staying fit and playing or by him being sold on at a decent price, of course to get a decent price the club need him to be on a contract that doesn't expire next summer, it is a conundrum that will have the Hammers hierarchy in two minds.
Do the club 'throw good money after bad' or say enough is enough? Using a car analogy, the situation is a bit like owning an old Jag, lovely car but very expensive to maintain and you have maintained it well rectifying all the faults it had before, however when it's M.O.T is due it is going to cost a fortune to get it through, more than the car is worth, what do you do? Do you cut your losses or believe that all the money you spent was an investment and why should someone else get all benefit, at the end of the day it is just an old Jag.
It is worth noting that the 'Carroll talk' is emanating from the club ahead of the transfer window opening, it appears his fate is in his own hands or more to the point his own feet. Apparently, Manuel Pellegrini has adopted a sanguine approach with regards to Carroll, essentially if he can stay fit he gets a new contract, if he doesn't he will be on his bike. It would however be incredibly annoying if Carroll left the club and then went on to perform with fewer injuries for another club who would benefit form the massive amount of rehabilitation Hammers have forked out for.
Then again, Andrew Robert Carroll is an enigma, a story of what might have been and what could have and should have been, Carroll is a unicorn of a player, so rare are his skills in the air, on his day there are few if any in World football who can head the ball better, if only he had been born with the same genes as Pablo Zabaleta he could have become one of the most famous strikers ever, alas it was not to be and realistically only a wild optimist would believe that he will ever be injury free for more than a few weeks at a time at the most.
So either Manuel Pellegrini is 'bigging up' Andy Carroll to flog him off to the highest bidder, or he genuinely believes that Carroll can remain injury free for more than a token period of time. We at the Org openly questioned Pellegrini's sanity when he began integrating Robert Snodgrass in to the team, we are happy to eat 'umble pie over that decision so maybe he really does believe? So if he believes Carroll can stay fit, does 'El Pel' believe in Unicorn's and Santa as well? - Ed
