Former West Ham United striker Andy Carroll is open to becoming the manager of Dagenham and Redbridge – as long as they let him keep playing.
Indeed, Carroll has been appointed as Dagenham and Redbridge manager until the end of the season, with the non-league club now part-owned by internet sensation KSI.
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Andy Carroll of West Ham United turns to celebrate after scoring his second goal during the Premier League match between Middlesbrough and West Ham United
Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images
This life as a manager is proving something of a breeze for the former West Ham striker, who remains contracted to the club as a player.
The 37-year-old has won both his games in charge of the club, although it seems he’s not ready to hang up his boots entirely just yet.
Carroll would be open to signing as Dagenham and Redbridge’s player-manager
Speaking to The Sun, Carroll admitted he is enjoying life as a manager, but does not want to call time on his playing career.
The ex-England striker could seemingly see himself being a player-manager, but nothing more than that.
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“Management was never something I wanted to do,” he said. “But I always knew that if there was a chance for me to do it, I could.
“And it’s something that is exciting me at the minute. I’m really happy with the way it is going, but I never thought about it and it just fell on my lap.
Andy Carroll reacts after Dagenham and Redbridge score against Torquay United.
Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images
“I want to play football. I’m still contracted here to play football and that’s what I want to do every single day.
“If that includes having the manager’s job alongside it, so be it. But being the boss permanently and not being able to play football isn’t something I’d do right now.”
Carroll is a cult-hero at West Ham and it’s brilliant to see how his career unfolded. During his time with the Hammers, he scored 34 goals in 142 games while registering 16 assists.
The striker may not have the trophy cabinet many might have expected him to get when he first broke through at Newcastle, but he’s enjoyed a brilliant career all the same.
Carroll has played for some of England’s biggest clubs, while also getting to live in idyllic parts of France following spells at Amiens and Bordeaux.
Clearly still in love with the game, it’s a brilliant story and one that could yet develop into a managerial career in at least some capacity.
Carroll does hold shares in the non-league club and it will be fascinating to see how it develops over the next few weeks and months.
So far, it could not really have gone any better for him.
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