Andy Carroll, 35, keen to keep playing for Bordeaux on £750 a week until he's 40

ANDY CARROLL wants to keep playing until he hits 40 – and dreams of partnering his eldest boy up front.

The ex-Newcastle, Liverpool and West Ham striker enjoyed a dream debut for Bordeaux with two goals to earn a draw with Chateaubriant.

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And despite years of injury issues during his time in the Premier League, the nine-capped England international says he wants to continue “another five years until I’m 40”.

Carroll, father to sons Lucas, 14, Arlo, eight, and Wolf, five and two daughters, said: “My sons keep saying, ‘Oh, you should go into management’.

“But I’ll keep saying well, ‘hopefully, one day, you’re old enough that you can join me and be my strike partner in the same team playing with each other’.

“They are really good players. So that’s probably more my dream than retiring and doing something else.”

Carroll – who is splitting up with TV star wife Billi Mucklow – continued: “I haven’t really focused on finishing yet, so I can’t even think about what I’m going to do afterwards.

“I’m just fortunate that I’m still playing at my age at the level where I’m enjoying it and getting paid for it.

“I’ve been at the top level where people are on £100,000-a-week, and then you come to France and the lads are on nowhere near that.

“And they’re coming in every day, working hard and with a smile on their face. And we’re going home, having barbecues and stuff like that.

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“It’s just a completely different way of life and it’s just brilliant. It’s just exactly what I wanted and exactly what I needed in my life.”

Carroll first fell in love with France after joining second tier outfit Amiens a year ago.

The giant 6ft 4in Carroll is now looking to follow in the footsteps of Zinedine Zidane by firing Bordeaux to glory.

The six-time Ligue 1 winners are in administration and have just been demoted to the fourth division.

Carroll earns just £750-a-week at the fallen giants, meaning it actually costs him money to live there and play for them, but he is enjoying every second.

He added: “A lot of players, recently retired or nearing the end of their careers, have asked why I’m playing here in France, away from my family. I’m just enjoying it here.

“Everything – from the stadium to the training ground – is set up perfectly for what I need and want.

“The project going forward is to try for back-to-back promotions, to be part of a massive club, and to carve out my place in their history. It’s an opportunity too great to pass up.”

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