West Ham's Andy Carroll simply has to be in the England squad, says Tony Cascarino

Useful: Cascarino is adamant Carroll should go to France this summer
Michael Steele/Getty Images
Sam Long24 March 2016

West Ham striker Andy Carroll deserves to be in England's Euro 2016 squad this summer, according to Tony Cascarino.

The 27-year-old has won nine senior international caps during his career but has fallen out of favour under Roy Hodgson due to a string of injuries.

Fitness issues have restricted Carroll to just 19 Premier League appearances this season and he faces stiff competition to be deemed worthy of inclusion for the tournament in France.

Harry Kane, Danny Welbeck, Daniel Sturridge, Jamie Vardy, Theo Walcott and Wayne Rooney are all competing for a place in the Three Lions' front line but Cascarino is adamant the Hammers forward deserves to be part of the equation too.

"I am worried that there seems to be too little debate about Andy Carroll," he told the Times.

"The West Ham striker simply has to be part of the England squad.

"I am not suggesting that Carroll should start for his country. I am arguing that he would be extremely useful.

"He would be an option off the bench that could really change the game and give thye opposition a lot to think about."

Carroll's finest moment in an England shirt arrived courtesy of a towering header against Sweden at Euro 2016 yet his paltry return of four top-flight goals this season is significantly worse than many of his countryman.

However, Cascarino believes the fact Carroll has not played many minutes this season could work in his favour as the tournament approaches.

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"I admire enormously the way Slaven Bilic has used has used Carroll this season.

"Bilic likes passing football but he knows full well that sometimes in the latter stages of games, a change of tack is needed to create the breakthrough.

"[He] Carroll has been used mostly as a superb sub this season and this means he will be fresh for the Euros.

"This could be Carroll's summer," he added.

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