Carson keen for kick-start
21 Jul 2008 - 13:39:50
Goalkeeper Scott Carson is hoping to follow the example of Chris Kirkland and prove there is life after Liverpool following his own move to West Bromwich Albion.
The 22-year-old England keeper joined the Baggies in a £3.25million deal last week and has set his sights on emulating the career resurgence enjoyed by Kirkland at Wigan Athletic.
Kirkland was another goalkeeper signed at a young age by the Merseyside club, but who failed to break into the first-team picture at Anfield.
However, since his move to the JJB Stadium on a permanent basis in 2006, Kirkland has kick-started his career and become a regular in the England set-up.
"I spent around six months with Chris at Liverpool," said Carson. "They signed me after Chris got injured.
"We only trained a couple of times together at Liverpool but I know him quite well through England duty.
"I spoke to him a few times before signing because he's been here and knows this place. Chris moved to Wigan from Liverpool and look where that's taken him.
"He's played really well for Wigan over the last two seasons and he's back in the England squad."
Meanwhile, Carson has revealed he left Liverpool after three seasons due to a lack of first-team opportunities.
"I've come here to try and play every week and hopefully move my career on," he continued.
"Some players are happy to just pick up wages but for the last three-and-a-half years I've gone out on loan when it would have been easy to sit on the bench at Liverpool.
"It wasn't an easy decision to leave a massive club like Liverpool."