Carroll - efterspelet
Både spelaren och klubben har nu uttalat sig. Det råder tveksamheter om hur det hela gick till, men Ashley verkar ha varit Ashley som vanligt.
Alan Pardew
"We didn't force anybody to leave."
"I disagree with that point. He had a contract here for five years, and at some point it would get renewed, but for him to sign in October and it get renewed in January - where would it stop?
"Personally, I'm disappointed. He's a lovely lad, and I really like him, but it was his decision, and you can't change that. Was this about football? That's what you have to ask. I don't think it was."
Andy Carroll
I was in talks about a new contract and talking to the gaffer about that.
"He told me that they are now not going to give me a contract. That was as soon as the offer of £30m came in.
"So I asked why (I wasn’t getting a new contract) and he said his hands were tied.
"He said it wasn’t up to him. Then a £35m bid got accepted.
"And then I was allowed to talk to Liverpool. The owner then made it clear to me that I was not wanted at the club.
"Saying that his own helicopter is waiting for me to go down to talk to them.
"So being shown I’m not wanted I said OK I will talk to them. Then suddenly the bid was rejected.
"And then Derek asked me to hand in a transfer request. So I was pushed into a corner and had no choice.
"I wasn’t wanted by them and they made it clear they wanted the money.
"Then I flew down in his (Ashley’s) helicopter. I didn’t want to leave.
"I’m gutted that I wasn’t wanted at my home team after everything I’ve done and progress I’ve made.
"I didn’t want to leave at all. Make sure they know I didn’t want to leave.
"The players, staff and fans were fantastic."
En fullkomligt galen eftermiddag verkar ha mynnat ut i att Ashley och Llambias tyckte att pengarna var värt det, medan Carroll ville stanna för en bättre lön. Med tanke på hans marknadsvärde är det förståeligt att han ville ha mer än 30 000 pund i veckan, men det kunde väl ha väntat till sommaren?
Att klubben inte var lite kallare förstår jag inte, det var inte panik att få in pengar. Dock säger man nu att "vartenda öre kommer återinvesteras i klubben". Tror det när jag ser det. Chefscout Graham Carr har ett sjuhelsikes jobb framför sig.
