Suarez who? Carroll admits low football IQ

LONDON: Andy Carroll has admitted his football IQ was so low he had to use Google to find out who Luis Suarez was when he joined Liverpool in 2011.

Carroll moved to Merseyside for a record fee for a British player of £35 million ($42 million) and teamed up with the Uruguyan superstar in attack. The 30-year-old former England international striker excused his ignorance by saying he meant no disrespect to Liverpool or Suarez.

Carroll, who has returned to Newcastle on a one year deal after being released by West Ham over the summer, had to Google Suarez while he was flying by helicopter to Liverpool to complete the transfer on the final day of the January 2011 transfer window.

Suarez had signed just days before from Ajax for just over £22 million but Carroll told the Newcastle United team website he had no idea who his future team-mate was. “When I was here (at Newcastle), I’d go home, mess about with my mates, play football, go out, whatever, but I’d never watch football. I never knew any players,” said Carroll.

“I’d come in on the Friday or wake up on the Saturday morning saying,’Who are we playing?’ I was completely oblivious to all the football that was going on. “When I was in the helicopter to Liverpool, I was like, ‘I know Stevie G (Gerrard), I know (Jamie) Carragher. Who else?’ “My agent at the time had to tell me and I would get it on Google and find out the team. “It’s bad because it’s Liverpool players, but it’s not disrespectful.”