Andy Carroll thanks fiancee Billi Mucklow for the ear-bashing that has revived his England hopes after injury-free summer
'Er indoors proves to be the spur as West Ham centre forward hits the Premier League season running for once
ANDY CARROLL has his sights set on an England return after an ear-bashing from the missus.
The West Ham striker’s time at the club has been blighted by injuries.
But he looked razor sharp as he scored both of their goals in their 3-2 defeat by Juventus on Sunday.
The Italian giants, of course, are nicknamed The Old Lady.
And Carroll revealed it is his own ‘old lady’ – TV star fiancee Billi Mucklow – who is his behind his best pre-season in years after she made him realise he had to start listening to fitness and medical experts.
He said: “It started at home when my missus got on my case. I had to listen to her.
“She was the one who set the ball rolling. She was like, I’ve got to listen to everyone. And obviously it’s worked.
“I’ve done pre-season my way with the staff. I missed two games but that wasn’t through injury, I was just doing my training separately. I think it’s worked, I feel good. I’ve played every other game.
“It’s been a positive pre-season for me. Instead of just saying I want to go out there all the time, instead of just saying I want to be on the pitch, I have had to take a step back, go in the gym and do a little bit of lighter work, or have a second day recovery when the lads are out on the pitch.
“Normally I would’ve just wanted to be on the pitch all the time. That’s obviously when you’re feeling weak.
“But this way, the only two friendlies I missed were the back-to-back ones. On those days I just trained instead.”
A succession of injuries has restricted Carroll to just 37 Premier League starts for the Hammers since he made his loan from Liverpool permanent three years ago.
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He said: “It’s about learning from your mistakes. I think it’s been a long time since I’ve wanted to be on the pitch and not by myself in the gym.
“In the past I haven’t listened. I thought I could get away with it and it hasn’t helped.
“Obviously there a lot of people who have tried to drill it into my head for three or four years now and I haven’t really listened. So it’s about time I started listening and doing really what they were saying in training and out of training.
“You know, like take it easy in training. For my second goal against Juventus I took out about four players, even my own team-mates. Well, I used to do that in training as well. It wasn’t very good for me or our other players. But I have listened to people telling me to take it easy and it feels good.
“Obviously it’s frustrating missing any game but when you are away in the summer and then you come back and you are not with the lads for another month or two months, and missing pre-season, it’s really tough.
"Then you know the lads are really looking forward to the season and you’ve still got another month or so by yourself, it’s horrible you know. You’re always playing catch-up.
“So it’s just nice to be back in the squad from the beginning and carry on.”
Carroll hopes his fitness will earn him an England recall under his former Hammers manager Sam Allardyce.
The striker said: “Obviously England is right in my head. I think that’s where I want to be, I want to be back in the England shirt.
“Obviously the manager knows what I am capable of, in and out of training and in games, that’s nice to know.
“But I can’t get there just on the manager being my old manager at West Ham. I think it would be unfair to even think that.
“Every English player wants to get into the squad, no matter who the manager is.
“I’ve just got to work hard at training, listen to the staff here, play the games I play, score goals and create chances and hopefully he will pick us. But nothing is a guarantee.”