Andy Carroll: Why the Liverpool Star Is Still a Work in Progress

A young footballer from Gateshead shows lots of potential, signs for Newcastle United as a youth player and eventually earns a place in the first team, despite occasionally courting trouble off the pitch.

The player is hailed as one of best prospects in English football, puts on many dazzling performances on the pitch and lands a permanent position in the staring 11.

A bigger club comes in with an offer to buy the player, which Newcastle can't turn down as this offer is massive for a player of that age.

No, not Andy Carroll. Paul Gascoigne.

The early career parallels between Carroll and Gascoigne are eerie, despite the 23-year gap between the two transfers.

We all know the story of the agony and ecstasy of Gazza's career. It's enough to fill several Bleacher Report articles on it's own. While Carroll has been through a lot on and off the pitch, it is nothing compared to the anguish of his tormented predecessor from the south bank of the Tyne.

When Liverpool paid £35 million for Carroll in January, opinion was divided as to whether or not Liverpool had got value for money with their new acquisition. The January transfer window isn't known for being good value, after all. Deals like this one and the £50 million that Chelsea paid to take Fernando Torres from Anfield seem to support that argument. 

Support for the fee came in the argument that Carroll is a work in progress. At the age of 22, Liverpool can develop him into the world-class striker that he has the potential to become.

However, it will take time and effort. History is littered with young men who had lots of potential, but for whatever reason the early promise was never fulfilled. Very few make it as a professional footballer. Even fewer make it as a star.

Many have pointed the finger at Carroll's personal life as one of the things holding him back.

It's difficult to separate the tabloid tales from any proven facts, but England manager Fabio Capello further fuelled the fire by saying that, "If he wants to be a good player and a good sportsman, he needs to drink less than the others."

It is true that Carroll has suffered from numerous injuries, only just getting rid of a recurring knee problem that he has had since the turn of the year. 

But are the supposed free-time activities of Carroll hampering his recovery and development? Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish said that, "I don't think his lifestyle is anything like you want it to be to write a story," during a prematch press conference earlier this month.

With the arrival of Craig Bellamy at Anfield, combined with the current form of Luis Suarez and Dirk Kuyt, Carroll will find his first-team chances limited. However, Dalglish is a fair manager and will no doubt give Carroll the chances he deserves in due time. 

Even so, time is money, especially in football. There will come a time when Dalglish will have to decide if he was right or wrong to spend all that money on a prospect as opposed to a proven talent.

As long as Carroll keeps up the hard work and listens to his manager and the more senior players' advice, he will have the chance to prove the doubters wrong.