Why We Will Have To Say Goodbye To Carroll And Henderson
It has been a long time since the North East could boast two of the most coveted players in English football, but the real question is how long will Andy Carroll and Jordan Henderson remain here?
Nobody has been the subject of more transfer tittle tattle over the last few months than these two, but no matter how many time you are told they are off to this club for that much, and that club for this much, rest assured the pair are here to stay - at least for now.
The constant speculation has become a little tiresome. No matter how many times their manager insist they are staying put, no matter how many times the players say they are staying put, the stories keep on coming.
Nevertheless, it would be naive to think the two youngsters, born and raised on the banks of the Tyne and Wear, will still be playing for their hometown clubs in five years time.
Football simply doesn't work like that. The brutal fact is, there are bigger clubs out there with more money and more opportunities to win things.
There will come a time when Carroll and Henderson will want to play in the Champions League and can you see either Sunderland or Newcastle offering them that in the next four or five years?
They will want to earn more money and they will want a fresh challenge. Few players remain at one club for their whole career, even if they did used to dream about playing for them as boys.
They will be tapped up and they will be touted around. The England get-togethers which Carroll and Henderson look set to be a part of for a long time to come are like unofficial recruitment centres for the big clubs.
Players get their heads turned by their international teammates and there is only so long, it seems, anyone can resist the lure of football at Europe's top table and the chance to compete regularly for silverware.
It probably isn't a question of whether they leave, it is more likely to be a case of when.
What does work in Newcastle's favour is that Carroll is a Geordie, who has always aspired to wear the number nine shirt. He is not agitating for a move in any way, shape or form because he is happy playing for his club. It is the same for Henderson at Sunderland.
They are local lads doing what they always wanted to do. They have a deep affiliation with the area, its people and its football clubs. There is an emotional attachment, but I still suspect that will only hold them for so long. It will keep them here for longer, but it won't last forever.
As depressing as it is to think about their departure, it is probably best to prepare yourself for that sad day. If it doesn't great, but it almost certainly will.
Carroll may decide he has no desire to spread his wings and remains on Tyneside for the next ten years, shattering Alan Shearer's goalscoring record in the process.
Henderson may decide he does not need to earn more than £100,000-a-week in Manchester or London to satisfy his football ambitions. He may well get to play in Europe with Sunderland and he knows he has already got a slot in the England squad while playing on Wearside.
But, ultimately, when the offers start to come in, the temptation will be there, not just for the players to move on, but also for their clubs to sell them.
Even in today's deflated market, Carroll and Henderson could command transfer fees well in excess of £20m each. Should they stay on their current trajectory, both could go for more than £30m in the next couple of years.
That is a hell of a lot of money to turn down for a single player when you know you can buy four or five replacements with that amount of money, strengthening other areas of the side while sacrificing one star name.
Football has been like this since the dawn of time. As nice as it would be to see Newcastle and Sunderland battling for titles and European Cups, the gap is a huge one to bridge.
The balance of power will shift, Tottenham have broken up the old Big Four and Manchester City's billions mean they will do the same, but the big clubs maintain their strength by stealing the best players for the clubs who might one day be in a position to compete with them.
In my opinion, neither Carroll or Henderson should contemplate leaving. If I was in their shoes I'd be looking to stay put for at least another two seasons after this one.
They are happy and they are developing at a rapid rate. They are guaranteed regular first team football and they are already earning more money than they realistically know what to do with.
There isn't much more a player of 20 or 21 can ask for, but that will not always be the case.
Older/Newer
« Let's Get A Few Things Straight About Newcastle United | Battle For North East Supremacy Is Not Over Yet »
0 TrackBacks
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Why We Will Have To Say Goodbye To Carroll And Henderson.
TrackBack URL for this entry: http://www.lukewhostalking.co.uk/cgi-bin/mt435/mt-tb.cgi/287028
14 Comments
Blog Authors
Luke Edwards - is Chief Sports Writer of The Journal and uses his blog to give a unique and entertaining insight into events at Newcastle United and Sunderland.
Why is there a bigger club than Newcastle?
If the right owners are in charge Newcastle should be a champions league club.
Instead of being negative about Newcastle united why don't do something possitive by telling the Qatsari Group or another potentail buyer thefantastic opportunity both financial and glory that can be achived by Newcastle United.
Stsy possitive
Luke
You have been conned by the top four myth that they are unbeatable.As a local journalist it is your job to support the team. Have a word with John Gibson or Alan Oliver to see how it is done; with passion and hope and beleif. It is not so long ago that the toon was in the quarter finals of the Champions League. You beleive that we cannot make the champions league in the next five years. Why not. We have the makings of a good side now and with players like Gosling and Ben Afra to come in things are looking bright. Unfortunately the only one who seems not up to the task is you. I think the fatone is priming the club to be sold; so that would be further good news.
Alan Shearer wanted to play for Newcastle because he is a Geordie. He's second only to Milburn in Newcastle's rich history of strikers.
Carroll can do the same - and who knows at some stage in the next 10 years, why can't we win the league?
in the meantime his name will go down in Geordie folkore.
Money isn't everything. Neither's winning. That's the problem with this X-Factor world. People's love, loyalty and affection, I suggest, are far more important.
Michael - you're talking blinkered nonsense. A journalist's job isn't to support the team - it's to report the news and express an opinion isn't it? And are you really putting forward Gibson and Oliver as shining examples? Really??
And while we're at it, check your history books if you think we've ever been in the Champions League quarter finals
"The constant speculation has become a little tiresome."
So you decide to write yet another article based solely on speculation about their future??
This article is completely lacking in any foresight whatsoever. Football is as chaotic and as hard to predict as where lightning will strike. I cannot see any merit in totally decrying the possibility of newcastle achieving any notable success in the next few years, when not a single person could've predicted where Spurs would be now when they bottom of the league under Ramos just 3 years ago. Ditto citeh and there bottomless money pit. Anything could happen to Newcastle over the next several years. That's the beauty of our club in many ways. We could be sold to shrewd investing owners and turned into one of the highest profile clubs in Europe, or we could take a second nosedive worse than our previous one. I hope its the former.
This article is completely lacking in any foresight whatsoever. Football is as chaotic and as hard to predict as where lightning will strike. I cannot see any merit in totally decrying the possibility of newcastle achieving any notable success in the next few years, when not a single person could've predicted where Spurs would be now when they bottom of the league under Ramos just 3 years ago. Ditto citeh and there bottomless money pit. Anything could happen to Newcastle over the next several years. That's the beauty of our club in many ways. We could be sold to shrewd investing owners and turned into one of the highest profile clubs in Europe, or we could take a second nosedive worse than our previous one. I hope its the former.
Well spoken Andy....
nobody signing nobody so let's scaremonger - that'll get the wires buzzing - cos that's what we're paid to do - regardless of content.
Well spoken Andy....
nobody signing nobody so let's scaremonger - that'll get the wires buzzing - cos that's what we're paid to do - regardless of content.
'The constant speculation has become a little tiresome. No matter how many times their manager insist they are staying put, no matter how many times the players say they are staying put, the stories keep on coming.'
Yes it is tiresome and it continues because lazy journalists, who cannot be bothered to get off their backsides and interview people and get some real stories backed by facts, just sit at their desks and write any old rubbish that comes into their heads.
The only reason that there's consent speculation in the press is because people like you have a job to do. That job is to fill pages in a daily paper with 'news'! Now because people in the past have upset managers/players ect no one will talk to the press unless forced to and then its through the club. As curly said shearer could of went to any club in the world several times but didn't and the reason was because he's proud to be a geordie! Who's knows Carrol and Henderson may also proud to play for there local team.
I think Luke's full name is Full of Crap Luke Edwards. He should be on the stage at My Theatre when people want ton throw garbage. Given his latest contribution all I can say is Carry On Being Stupid Luke!
You're taking a hammering, honorary bro, but I think it's justified.
Steve Harper is a player who could've had England recognition, but stayed at NUFC. Further afield, the likes of Giggs, Scholes and G. Neville all stayed put and have been 1 club players. Fair enough, their club is the most successful of recent years, but what's to say that NUFC and the Mackems won't be competing in Europe regularly with good, honest, local lads in the team?
Now, if you'd mentioned Steven 'The Headless Chicken Who Thinks He's Bigger Than Jesus Never Mind NUFC' Taylor leaving NUFC, people may have agreed, some might even start counting the days, but don't be down on Carroll. He's a talent and doesn't seem to want to leave, so long may that be the case.
The Mackem's can't get to Europe, they don't know where the passport office is!!!
Andy Carroll, a true Geordie and let's hope he gets some measure of success at NUFC.
Meanwhile, I'll print off the original article, tear it up and place in the netty.