FORMER Liverpool and Newcastle striker Andy Carroll has revealed he spent £1,000 on an exotic cat – only to give it away two weeks later.
Carroll caused a stir this summer when he left cash-strapped Reading for Ligue 2 French side Amiens – and it’s fair to say not many people saw the move coming.
PA:Press AssociationAndy Carroll said too much money at a young age led to some unwise decisions[/caption]
GettyThat included buying a Bengal cat which he had to give to his parents[/caption]
Explaining the transfer to the French side located 75 miles north of Paris, Carroll, 34, told The Daily Mail: “I was at Newcastle from seven years old. I made my debut at 17. I just thought, ‘You know what, if I don’t go [abroad] now then I’ll never go’.
” I had another season at Reading. I wasn’t playing and I spoke to the manager. He wanted legs up top which is something I don’t have. I was going to say ‘anymore’ but I don’t think I ever had them!
“I wanted a challenge. A challenge in a completely different country. A fresh start. I spoke to my agent and said, ‘Get me a club abroad’. I came here and it was the one. It’s a one and half hour drive to Calais and I can get the shuttle back to Epping [his family home].”
Carroll wears the number 99 shirt at Amiens and has one goal from his six games played in the French second division so far.
He says one of the greatest parts of playing in France is his ability to keep a low profile.
He revealed he was able to watch Newcastle’s 4-1 thrashing of PSG in “a little pub” near Amiens’ training ground with some of his team-mates.
He said the best part about it was that: “No one said a word to me.”
Carroll recounted how having too much money at a young age led to him making some stupid decisions, such as dropping £1,000 on a Bengal cat.
PA:Empics SportCarroll joined Liverpool for a British record fee[/caption]
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He said about trying to balance his finances: “It’s hard, really hard. It was just coming in my bank and going straight back out, even though me mam and dad were telling me not to.
“You’re 17 years old and getting all this money. All your friends haven’t got anything so you take them with you.
“I wasted money on stupid things. I’d go to Harrods in London and spend five-grand on rubbish. I’d have nothing to show for it. Just gone.
“In the dressing room everyone’s walking round with Lamborghinis or designer clothes. I’ve got money and I’m thinking ‘They’re doing it… I’ll do it as well’. I wanted an exotic cat. Found this Bengal and got it. Like a thousand pound. I had it for two weeks.”
After being unable to take care of the animal, he said he gave it away to his parents.
The striker said he was taken by surprise at his £35million move to Liverpool in 2011, a British record at the time.
He had started the 2010-2011 Premier League season on fire having just led Newcastle up from the Championship as top scorer and both Spurs and Liverpool showed interest.
He said he only learned of the transfer from watching Sky Sports News, explaining: “It came up on Sky Sports News saying £30million for Andy Carroll from Tottenham rejected. Then it says Liverpool £35million accepted.
Instagram @amiensscfootballHe’s rediscovering his love of the game at Amiens[/caption]
“I went in to see the manager, he rang the owner and the owner says, ‘Yeah, you’re gone’.”
He said he struggled to adjust to the step up in professionalism at Liverpool following a more relaxed approach at Newcastle and that he regrets not grasping his opportunity a little more.
The striker said: “I’m disappointed that I didn’t really grasp Liverpool. I kind of took it for granted. I came out of school, went into Newcastle reserves, went into the first team, signed for Liverpool, played for England.
“Everything I touched turned to gold. Maybe it went to my head a little bit. I could do no wrong, that sort of thing.
“I don’t really know what went wrong. Maybe I wasn’t good enough… I don’t know. I just wish I’d grabbed it a little bit more.”
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