Andy Carroll feels he was denied an opportunity to prove his worth at Liverpool and is now chasing a World Cup dream.
The powerful frontman was taken to Anfield in January 2011 for £35million, with the Merseyside outfit wasting no time in dipping back into the transfer window after offloading Fernando Torres to Chelsea for a British record fee.
Carroll arrived from Newcastle United with a blossoming reputation, but was unable to kick his career forward with the Reds.
Form and injury frustrations saw him struggle for continuity and consistency and he was eventually allowed to head out on loan in the summer of 2012.
Brendan Rodgers decided that Carroll was not for him, as he completed a switch to West Ham United which would ultimately be made permanent, but the 25-year-old feels he was discarded too quickly by the Liverpool management team.
He told Sky Sports on his time at Anfield: "Obviously it wasn't what I wanted. I went there and I wanted to kick on.
"I had problems with injuries and was playing one game out of three and never really got going. If I did get going, my career at Liverpool, I would still be there now. It didn't, now I'm here and I'm happy."
Pressed again on whether, after 18 minutes of football under Rodgers, he deserved more time in which to impress a new manager, Carroll added: "I think so. I was away with England at the time and I felt that I was good and confident about coming back to Liverpool and showing what I'm about.
"I never really got the chance and was told to leave. That's why I 'm here."
Carroll admits he was also left confused by Rodgers' claims that he would be unable to form a little-and-large partnership with this season's top Premier League marksman Luis Suarez - a man signed in the same transfer window: "He did tell me that it could work, and then when I was leaving he was telling me other things.
"I was a bit disillusioned about that as well. But that's another thing. I think it could have worked, and I was getting told it could work from him."
Carroll is now looking to leave his Liverpool days behind him, as he prepares for a reunion with his former employers at Upton Park on Sunday, and hopes his end of season form - in what has been an injury-ravaged campaign - will earn him a place in the England squad destined for Brazil this summer.
He added: "I'm feeling fresh. I've missed all of the season, so if anyone is raring to go it's me. It's like the start of the season for me.
"I got injured and then suspended, so I've missed a lot of games. I just need to work hard, score goals and put myself about.
"When I was away, I wasn't on the pitch, I wasn't at the training ground, I was away from it all and I was so hungry to get back.
"Now I'm back, it feels like I've done my pre-season at Christmas. I'm just starting. I don't want the season to end."
