Capello openly admits he had it in mind to select Carroll before now, only to put the plan on hold following discussions with the Football Association and Under-21 boss Stuart Pearce, who was not too impressed with the Newcastle star pulling out of matches against Portugal and Lithuania in September. Similar discussions took place before the Italian named his squad for Wednesday night's friendly with France on Saturday evening. This time the response was positive, and now Carroll has recovered from the groin injury that threatened to rule him out, Capello is hoping the response will be positive in every way. "It's a big chance, to play with the seniors and to change his lifestyle," said Capello. "I hope that he will understand what really happens when you play with the seniors." Capello was quick to seize the opportunity to talk with Carroll about football matters when the England squad gathered in Watford on Sunday evening. The discussion surrounding personal issues was forced to wait until this afternoon, when Capello outlined why it is in Carroll's best interests to avoid the negative headlines that have appeared far too frequently during his career so far. "Everyone makes mistakes when they are young," said Capello. "Carroll is really young. He is 21. We have to help him. "A lot of people like a drink but he also has to understand now he is in the senior team there will be journalists, photographers and everyone else focusing on him. "Life will be different for him now. He has to change. His behaviour has to be better. He cannot make the mistakes he made before." Capello is adamant Carroll was already aware of his earlier expulsion and he quickly rejected a claim that the setback appeared to have made little difference. He is clearly hoping some of his own abstemious influence rubs off this week in addition to the more relevant experience of Rio Ferdinand and Steven Gerrard. Capello desperately wants it to happen because he sees the immense value of Carroll as a player. Although he rattled off the names of a string of strikers currently unavailable to him; Gabriel Agbonlahor, Jermain Defoe, Wayne Rooney, Darren Bent, Bobby Zamora, the presence of a 28-year-old Cardiff forward in Capello's squad this week tells its own story about the depth available. Carroll may be some way short of another Newcastle number nine, Alan Shearer, but he has the physicality Capello likes and is more capable of finding the net than Emile Heskey ever was. "I saw Carroll play against Arsenal," he said. "He played very well. He was good when he received the ball, his movement was excellent, he attacked the space well and was fantastic in the air. Technically he was good and he was very strong. "I hope he shows the same qualities tomorrow. "It will not be easy because France are a really good team, one of the best national teams in the world. "But it will be a really interesting test."
