Andy Carroll denied fast-track route into senior England squad

Andy Carroll will not be fast-tracked into Fabio Capello's senior England side and is instead likely to be asked to prove his potential by helping the Under-21s qualify for next summer's European championships in Denmark. The Newcastle United striker helped to demolish Aston Villa's defence with a hat-trick during his side's 6-0 victory at St James' Park on Sunday but Carroll is still regarded as very much a work in progress by the England management. Moreover, the Under-21s are struggling to qualify for Denmark 2011 and it is felt Carroll could play a key role in turning next month's vital qualifiers their way. Although the Football Association no longer demands that England coaches refrain from selecting players confronting criminal proceedings – something which Sven-Goran Eriksson railed against when he found he could not pick Lee Bowyer or Jonathan Woodgate – Capello is well aware that Carroll faces a crown court trial in October on a serious assault charge. While FA sources are adamant the Italian would not be prevented from choosing Carroll for senior duty, any such pre-trial call up for Carroll could bring unwanted controversy to the England camp.