Carroll gets nod to lead England’s Euro 2012 charge

England manager Roy Hodgson insists he has no concerns about the commitment and ability of Andy Carroll after naming the controversial Liverpool striker in his Euro 2012 squad.

Carroll has largely been seen as a flop since his £35million transfer from Newcastle to Liverpool, but he squeezed into Hodgson’s 23-man squad ahead of Peter Crouch — a man who has scored 22 goals in 42 international appearances — after a series of good performances towards the end of the season.

Carroll’s pedigree has never been in doubt. The 6ft 4in striker’s hulking frame allows him to shrug off challenges from the strongest defenders in the world and he was prolific during his time at Newcastle.