Source: Northern_Echo
Hughton tells Carroll to be his own man
NEWCASTLE striker Andy Carroll has been told to be his own man as he stakes his claim for the famous number nine shirt at St James' Park.[LNB] The 21-year-old frontman heads into tomorrow's Championship clash with Barnsley hoping to add to his tally of ten goals for the season having scored five in his last six appearances.[LNB] His performance in last Saturday's 2-1 victory at Watford earned him rave reviews and inevitable comparisons to the likes of Alan Shearer, Malcolm Macdonald and Jackie Milburn, who have worn the currently vacant number nine shirt with such distinction in the past.[LNB] However, manager Chris Hughton has told England Under-21 international Carroll he must not allow himself to be carried away by the plaudits.[LNB] Hughton said: "He has got to be his own player. He is still a young player and he is still developing, and amongst all of that, he is going to have his highs and lows.[LNB] "He is going to have his dips in form, where people might start saying different things about him, and then he is going to have his good performances where they will say the things they have been saying.[LNB] "All he can try to do is develop. I saw him play at under-21 level on Wednesday night and it was a difficult game for him. He didn't get the amount of service he would like.[LNB] "But he has just got to keep developing and be his own player."[LNB] The Magpies welcome Barnsley to Tyneside hoping to go one better than the 2-2 draw they achieved at Oakwell in December as they attempt to remain unbeaten on their own park for the whole season for the first time in 103 years.[LNB] Hughton said: "It would be some record and it would be a wonderful achievement by this group of lads.[LNB] "At this stage, we are going to be hit by lots of stats, records and so on, but the only stat we are interested in really is the one at the end of the season that says we have finished in the top two and it has given us an opportunity to go back to the Premier League."[LNB] ** READ MORE NEWCASTLE NEWS IN TOMORROW'S NORTHERN ECHO **[LNB]
