Carroll at last ready to fulfil the predictions of his bright future as a talisman centre-forward Hodgson has, however, overlooked Peter Crouch and Bobby Zamora, having been taken with Carroll's end to the campaign when he produced a powerful cameo in the FA Cup final and followed that up with an impressive display against Chelsea in the Premier League. "At the end of the season I just felt like I was moving a lot better and getting involved in games more than I did at the beginning of the season and it feels great," Carroll said. I always believed in myself but things weren't going for me. I didn't play as many games as I hoped and towards the end of the season I got a run of games and did well and I'm here. Players often make late runs into tournament squads but for Carroll it has been a circuitous route since scoring for England against Ghana in a friendly in March 2011, when he looked like the future. He then slipped quickly to fourth, even fifth choice, with significant questions over the direction of his career. Kenny Dalglish was staunch in his defence of Carroll but his Liverpool selections spoke volumes, while Capello had all but washed his hands off the striker having grown tired of his problems after his initial hope that he was capable of leading the line to effect. But now Carroll looks set to start England's opening game in Euro 2012 against France. It could be a new-look strike pairing with Ashley Young, who scored the only goal and impressed against the Norwegians. The Manchester United forward said that Carroll's "strength" could be key. "It's a good combination and something we have been working on," he said of the partnership. He's a fantastic player to be with. He will get in the box and score goals and everyone was delighted with his performance. Carroll wants to carry it forward to Poland and Ukraine, after this weekend's friendly at home to Belgium, when he should add to his four caps. "This is what I want to be involved in, in my career, and now I've got a chance to show what I'm about," Carroll said. The season's over for everyone not involved in this tournament and it's great for me to be able to carry on. I'm feeling good and I'm feeling fresh. I feel fitter now than I did at the beginning of the season or halfway through. Carroll said he believed that consistency was the key although he has hugely improved his fitness and leads a more disciplined lifestyle. "I signed for a new club and it was hard to fit in straight away," Carroll said of his January 2011 move to Liverpool. He said he arrived at Liverpool injured "and it was hard to get my fitness back. I didn't think about the price at all. I don't think about those sort of things. As soon as I got my fitness back, I started to show what I can do. Hodgson certainly believes Carroll is integral to his plans - for his power and presence and the shape that England will now play. "It was just a 4-4-2 and a matter of keeping our shape when they had the ball and just to counterattack," Carroll said. His defensive contribution, with a series of clearing headers, was also praised by Hodgson. "I do a lot of work at the back and that helps out," Carroll said. It gives me great confidence if he's saying that.