Former England striker Andy Carroll has claimed that ex-manager Fabio Capello once accused him of "sleeping with grannies" during a dressing-down. The 37-year-old, now at Dagenham & Redbridge, details the incident in his autobiography 'Owning It'.
Capello's strict regime
Capello managed England from January 2008 to February 2012, leading the team to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where they were eliminated in the last 16. Four months later, he handed Carroll his first call-up for a friendly against France. Despite that, their relationship was strained.
Carroll describes the Italian as "slightly crazy" and obsessed with discipline. He recounts an episode where Capello snatched his phone during a meeting, shouting: "We are trying to work here! You're disrespectful, f***ing using your phone! Send me a message!"
The grannies accusation
Carroll also claims Capello allowed wine and dessert with meals but banned ketchup, which he found nonsensical. More seriously, he alleges that John Terry told Capello to speak to him about his behaviour outside football.
In the meeting, Capello reportedly said: "You are always in the media for drinking and sleeping with grannies. You need to stop with this." Carroll replied: "What? I haven't done that." Capello insisted: "Yes, you have. Drinking and sleeping with old ladies..."
Carroll says he was baffled, thinking: "Who's told him I've been sleeping with grannies? Has he got me mixed up with one of my team-mates?" He ultimately accepted the rebuke, saying: "Yeah, all right. It won't happen again..."
Aftermath
Capello resigned in early 2012 after a disagreement with the Football Association over their decision to strip Terry of the captaincy. Carroll went on to play for England at Euro 2012 under Roy Hodgson, scoring a header in a group-stage win over Sweden. He earned nine caps in total, scoring twice.
