After making 35 appearances for the Hammers, ROY CARROLL became a cult hero at Olympiacos. Tonight, having proudly turned his life around, he candidly reflects on his personal struggles down West Ham way and recalls his Greek goalkeeping heroics…
Last month’s tie in Greece was always going to be one of the Hammers’ more difficult UEFA Europa League Group A games but while Olympiacos can be a very good team at home, they don’t always travel that well.
Even so, as we saw at Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, their fans can certainly make some noise and the visiting supporters won’t stop singing tonight, no matter the score.
It’s been great for me to see West Ham United doing so well in recent seasons and they’ve certainly had some massive European results.
I’m also really pleased for the Hammers supporters because they’re absolutely dedicated to their Football Club as we saw over in Prague.
Money’s not easy to come by these days but those fans still travelled to the Czech Republic in such huge numbers and it was great to see their loyalty rewarded with that UEFA Europa Conference League final victory over Fiorentina, in June.
David Moyes has done a great job – he’s brought a European trophy home, established his side in the Premier League and also spent his money in the right way, bringing some quality players into his squad.
From what I’m seeing, David’s building some really good foundations at West Ham United.
Mindfulness and loneliness
Although West Ham United had lost in the 2004 Play-Off final to Crystal Palace, they’d then beaten Preston North End (1-0) the following year to get themselves promoted back to the Premier League.
I’d just left Manchester United and, with Alan Pardew speaking so well about his plans for the Club, joining the Hammers for 2005/06 was an easy decision.
But despite starting well, I’d been carrying the legacy of back problems sustained in a car crash, before freakishly getting tangled-up in a goal-net while training with Ludek Mikloško. My back was getting worse and, when I then got injured against Fulham in only my 19th appearance, it brought everything to a head.
I would be out of action for nine months and, for the first-time in my career, I needed some serious surgery. My mind started playing silly games with me – I was only 28-years-old but instead of looking at all the positives in my life, my head was just filled with negativity. Relatively young, I didn’t know how to handle things.
At first, the manager and players spoke to me but being out for so long, I gradually got separated from my team-mates, who were at Chadwell Heath training and playing, while I was holed up in the medical room.
From enjoying daily banter, I was now arriving for treatment every morning and rarely even getting to say: ‘Hello.’
I missed the 2006 FA Cup final against Liverpool and, despite being so hungry to train and play, slid down the pecking-order, just getting lonelier and lonelier.
I’d drifted out of everyone’s thoughts and, by the time that Alan Curbishley took over from Pards before Christmas, people simply didn’t know what I was going through until I finally opened up about my problems. I’d got myself into a really bad place at West Ham.
Back in those days, if you got injured or were feeling down there was no go-to person - people just weren’t switched on to the mental health side of things like they are today.
And while managers aren’t allowed to throw teapots around dressing rooms any longer (!) players also have help across an entire spectrum of issues to help them through any personal problems. There’s support for injured players, too, whereas in my day, you were just brought up to train and play.
That was just the way it was back then.
I felt so ashamed about my off-field situation but nobody had any idea about what was going on behind the scenes. People merely thought: ‘What’s the problem with Roy? He’s a professional footballer, there can’t possibly be anything wrong with him.’
Everyone goes off to do their UEFA badges and, although they’re then qualified to coach, they’re still not taught how to deal with human beings.
Remember, just like in any other walk of life, each footballer has his own personality and needs to be treated differently to the next person. Players are people, too.
I haven’t had a single sip of alcohol for 12 years now yet, back then, I was really struggling and hitting the drink
My off-field problems certainly didn’t help me during my time at West Ham but equally I’ll admit that I could’ve dealt with them better than I did.
Having made just 35 appearances, I ended up leaving West Ham at the end of 2006/07 to join Rangers before moving to Derby County and Odense BK.
I was fortunate to come back and play – not everyone returns from a bad injury or their off-field problems and gets the opportunity to continue their career.
It’s made me appreciate everything in life plus the fact that I’m still involved in football and, thankfully, there’s much more awareness than there was 15-20 years ago.
Times have certainly changed for the better.
Greek Odyssey
Leaving Denmark in early 2011, I’d been without a club for nine months when, out of the blue, an agent telephoned offering me a short-term contract with OFI Crete.
Having ended up on a Greek island, within months, I was heading to Athens on the mainland, where I joined a massive club – Olympiacos.
Things happen for a reason and I always maintain there are such fine margins in football, whether that’s out on the pitch itself or during your career, in general.
In February 2012, I was named substitute goalie for our Europa League round of 32 tie at Rubin Kazan but when the regular Olympiacos ‘keeper got sent-off with a quarter-hour remaining, I came off the bench in Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium to save the resulting penalty with my first-ever touch for the club!
You dream about moments like that when you’re flying through the mud as a ten-year-old kid, playing over the park with your mates!
We won 1-0 in Russia and then, in the return-leg at Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, I pulled a hamstring with 25 minutes to go. There was no way I was coming off in front of our home supporters and, managing to make a few more saves, kept a clean sheet in another 1-0 win.
I ended up getting back into the Northern Ireland team and winning the Greek Super League plus two Greek Cups with Olympiacos. I’d certainly turned my life around.
Even today, if I’m ever in Athens with one of the Northern Ireland sides, the supporters will still turn up at our team hotel to say ‘Hello’ and show their appreciation for what I did during my time with their football club.
Irish eyes on young Irons
I’ve now been with the Irish Football Association for three years as its first-ever Head Goalkeeper Development Coach.
Working very hard, I’ve built up the IFA’s goalkeeping ‘department’ from scratch.
Northern Ireland will be one of the home nations hosting the UEFA 2028 European Championships and – over these coming five years – I’m hoping to see half-a-dozen or so of the boys who’ve progressed through our U19s and U21s sides, win their full international caps
West Ham have currently got some very talented boys from Northern Ireland in their Academy of Football and I’d love to see them both make it into the Hammers first-team and our international side.
Certainly, Callum Marshall’s progressing really well and he’s already made a couple of appearances this year against Denmark and San Marino.
Elsewhere, I remember seeing Michael Forbes as a gangly 13-year-old kid playing in Dungannon, where he used to wear protective eye goggles over his glasses. Fast forward six years and Forbesy’s growing into a fine young man, who now needs his chances at senior level.
I’ve also seen Patrick Kelly come through the age groups – PK’s another one who is developing really well, while I’ve been keeping my eye on the Hammers’ U18s goalie, Finlay Herrick, for a few seasons now.
It’s brilliant to see that all of those boys are in good hands with the likes of Kevin Keen, Kenny Brown, Steve Potts and Mark Robson overseeing their progression within the Academy.
David Moyes has already given several youngsters their debuts and, hopefully, this next crop will get their opportunities, when he reckons the time’s right.
When I was at West Ham, Mark Noble came though from the Academy and all talented youngsters need the bigger, more experienced Premier League names around them if they’re going to learn the ropes.
It’s really difficult to make it in the top-flight – I had to take my chance as an 18-year-old in the third tier with Hull City- so those boys really do have to grab their opportunities whenever and wherever they come along.
Back to Bally!
I made my debut for Ballinamallard as a teenager and following my 500-odd game professional career, back in January, I played my last-ever match for them, too.
The club put me on the road to England but they got nothing for me financially when I moved on. I watch them regularly and, in the New Year, their manager Harry McConkey asked me to play for the club, once again.
I would’ve definitely said ‘No’ to anyone else but it was an opportunity that was just too good to turn down. In the end, though, I only lasted for 35 minutes against Annagh United before getting injured and coming off!
My goalkeeping gloves are locked away now but it’s good to look back on the fact that I started and finished my career with ‘Bally’.
Sure, I miss the day-to-day involvement of being at a football club but, right now, aged 46, I’m totally focused on helping Northern Ireland become a successful footballing nation again.
I’ve got two great kids in their mid-20s and I’m grateful and privileged that I’ve come back from where I’ve been to still have a career in the game I love.
I’m determined to enjoy every single moment of my life.
