Robbie Keane

[tetsujin1979]

Mentions of homesickness by Robbie Keane in that article: 0

[gastric]

Mentions of homesickness by Robbie Keane in that article: 0


Granted, it has all the looks of a fill in article, but I felt it was worth reporting!

[DannyInvincible]

And wouldn't a move to Shamrock Rovers rather than the Premiership suit him best if he is indeed homesick? :)

[the bear]

And wouldn't a move to Shamrock Rovers rather than the Premiership suit him best if he is indeed homesick? :)

he's not that home$ick ;)

[gastric]

And wouldn't a move to Shamrock Rovers rather than the Premiership suit him best if he is indeed homesick? :)

If Rovers have the money, hopefully they will sign him! In the meantime, I think being paid big money in England and having the opportunity to get home regularly, something he can't do presently, just might have to suffice.

[Nedser]

If Rovers have the money, hopefully they will sign him! In the meantime, I think being paid big money in England and having the opportunity to get home regularly, something he can't do presently, just might have to suffice.

Joking aside, how "regularly" do you think a professional footballer based in England gets to travel back to Ireland during the season? My guess is not very often, except when reporting for international duty, which Keane still does when based in LA. Premiership players very rarely have more than a day off at a time during the season. So I’d say during the MLS season he gets back to Ireland just as often as he did when he was playing in England.

Obviously he can go “home” during the close season, but again that’s easy enough to do from LA. And as it happens, the close season in the US is much longer than in England, so ironically he would actually have the opportunity to spend more time in Ireland each year while playing in the MLS. However, in the most recent close season in the US, Robbie chose not to have time off (to go back to Ireland or otherwise), but instead to sign on loan for another club in England. And bear in mind too that he hasn’t lived in Ireland since he was a kid, and in the intervening years he has moved from one city/country to another more times than anyone can remember.

So to be honest, I’d say the whole “homesickness” thing is a complete red herring, and the journalist who made this up probably did so on the premise that Robbie is “British” and therefore England is just another part of his home country. It’s fairly common for British people to hold the view that Irish people are not foreign. And I’m not having a go here as I don’t think they mean any harm by that - quite the opposite in fact – they just genuinely don’t get that most Irish people see it differently.

[DannyInvincible]

That's pretty much my take on it.

[Macy]

If I recall correctly, Keane and his missus have no intention of coming home after his playing career. And wasn't the fact that they didn't want to move from London a thing that scuppered a few potential moves for him from Spurs? So homesickness could well be true - we just think of his home as a different place than he does.

[punkrocket]

I could be wrong but I don't think too many Irish players return to Ireland after their careers are over. I would always think of Ireland as home as I'm I'm sure most of the players do but coming back to live here with their families? I'd say they are in a minority.

[elroy]

I could be wrong but I don't think too many Irish players return to Ireland after their careers are over. I would always think of Ireland as home as I'm I'm sure most of the players do but coming back to live here with their families? I'd say they are in a minority.

Your probably right. Just keeping it to some of the Irish born players retired in recent times, I know Bonner, Quinn, Moran are all back in Ireland but the likes of Stan, Cunningham (I think), Whelan, Keane and Kinsella are UK based.

[tetsujin1979]

Gary Kelly is living in Ireland now AFAIK

[SwanVsDalton]

Mark12345 and anyone else debating Robbie's best position will be interested he hear this from Ken Early on Twitter, about tomorrow's selection against Czech Republic.


why shane long? trap: "i wish give robbie opportunity to play between midfield... robbie can read the game... can feel which game will be."

[DannyInvincible]

Robbie rubbishes last week's media story claiming he was homesick in LA:


robbie keane: "there was stuff in the papers about me being homesick, dunno where that came from... at the moment i'm a galaxy player."

[brine3]

Duffer is the man to play behind the strikers in my opinion. He doesn't have the pace for the wings anymore, and has more brains than Robbie.

[Manblue]

Duffer is the man to play behind the strikers in my opinion. He doesn't have the pace for the wings anymore, and has more brains than Robbie.

readying the position for the return of SI post euros id say :)

[mark12345]

I'LL ACCEPT MONEY OR ALCOHOL OR MAYBE JUST PLAIN APPLAUSE!

For all those who doubted me (I said Robbie should be Ireland's creative midfielder) and went into lengthy arguments against me, read the following from Fai.ie


"Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni has asked Robbie Keane to be his Francesco Totti as he begins his plans for the Euro 2012 finals.

Keane will play a "number 10" role behind West Brom striker Shane Long in the absence of hamstring victim Kevin Doyle in Wednesday night's friendly against the Czech Republic at the Aviva Stadium.

Trapattoni, who has spent the last month studying DVDs of Ireland's Group C opponents Croatia, Spain and Italy, believes the system, which is a modification to the tried and tested 4-4-2 which booked their place in Poland and Ukraine, could come in useful in the tournament, and is keen to see how it works.

The Italian said: "Two years ago, maybe three years ago I said about Robbie, Robbie can play like Totti. Remember? I said he can play in this position and he can play well

[AlaskaFox]

Longer quote from Trap:
http://greenscene.me/2012/02/trapattoni-names-irish-side-to-face-czech-republic/


“Two years ago, maybe three years ago I said about Robbie, Robbie can play like Totti. I said he can play in this position and he can play well. At this moment, I want to give Robbie the opportunity to play between the midfield and a striker, because he can read the game and feel how the game will be. Long is a player who can allow Robbie to play deep. For the last month, I have watched Spain and Croatia and other teams, and I want to try this. Tomorrow is a test of this situation. I think Robbie can do both jobs well.”

[the bear]

like the sound of this. long is a beast up front on his own.

[Stuttgart88]

I'LL ACCEPT MONEY OR ALCOHOL OR MAYBE JUST PLAIN APPLAUSE!

For all those who doubted me (I said Robbie should be Ireland's creative midfielder) and went into lengthy arguments against me, read the following from Fai.ie
Revisionism of the highest order!

What you actually said originally (unless you said something different behorehand) in post #5299 was


Robbie in midfield .........we need him there to hold the ball and do something constructive with it. If Trap ever sees sense and puts Robbie in the middle of the park we would be twice the attacking force that we are.

I thought we all came to agreement a page or two back, and earlier, when several of us said that Keane could play the withdrawn role Trap wants him to play tomorrow. Let's face it, it's pretty clear to all to see that his talents suit it.

I'm quite excited by this variation. I hope it works.

[Stuttgart88]

It’s fairly common for British people to hold the view that Irish people are not foreign. And I’m not having a go here as I don’t think they mean any harm by that - quite the opposite in fact – they just genuinely don’t get that most Irish people see it differently.I used to work with a scouser and a Belgian in London and we're all still good friends. My scouse mate repeatedly says that he doesn't see me as foreign, but our Belgian mate clearly is.

I fully agree with him. I can speak fluent scouse(!), London rhyming slang, I know my football, regional English accents, I remember all the same TV programmes from childhood, and so on. Our Belgiamn mate is clueless about all of these! I don't see myself as British one jot, but I don't see myself as foreign. If I was in Belgium I would.

[geysir]

I'd be curious to see what Trap envisages. I'd see a withdrawn role for a striker different than an attacking midfielder role.

I have my doubts that using Keane as an attacking midfielder, can work for us. With both Whelan and Andrews dropping deep to hold the line, the gap between them and Robbie will be too long and if Robbie has to come into the last 1/3 to receive the ball, then it's dead in the water. Robbie is not a natural at that part of the CM role. We would need a player at midfield who is also comfortable with receiving the ball in our half, maybe if Duff sticks close to Robbie, it can work.

[brine3]

My boss is English and is a learned man. Has a PhD. We were going on a trip once and he had to photocopy all our passports. "Oh, I didn't realise you Irish have separate passports." He often refers to me as British to other people an points to Ireland and calls is British.

An English girl with a Master's degree (once again, no idiot) once called me British. I told her I wasn't British. She said, "Oh sorry, of course, I mean from the UK" I don't think they actually know the extent of their own country. The consider us to be seperate, yes, but in the same way as the Welsh and the Scots.

It doesn't help that their textbooks and the BBC shows a map of both Britain and Ireland when referring to their own country.

Also, most Europeans consider the Irish as British as well.

[Hibs4Ever]

Also, most Europeans consider the Irish as British as well.



Yep, for definite here in Prague anyway

[SwanVsDalton]

I'LL ACCEPT MONEY OR ALCOHOL OR MAYBE JUST PLAIN APPLAUSE!

For all those who doubted me (I said Robbie should be Ireland's creative midfielder) and went into lengthy arguments against me, read the following from Fai.iel

Hi. Was over six hours ahead of you there if you scroll up the page.


Mark12345 and anyone else debating Robbie's best position will be interested he hear this from Ken Early on Twitter, about tomorrow's selection against Czech Republic.

As Stutts quite rightfully pointed out, Trap's employment of Robbie at 10 is more in line with what was agreed upon with most arguing against you saying it was worth looking at. Your point was very strongly made for Robbie to play in central midfield, which is certainly not what Trap is doing tonight.

[bennocelt]

My boss is English and is a learned man. Has a PhD. We were going on a trip once and he had to photocopy all our passports. "Oh, I didn't realise you Irish have separate passports." He often refers to me as British to other people an points to Ireland and calls is British.

An English girl with a Master's degree (once again, no idiot) once called me British. I told her I wasn't British. She said, "Oh sorry, of course, I mean from the UK" I don't think they actually know the extent of their own country. The consider us to be seperate, yes, but in the same way as the Welsh and the Scots.

It doesn't help that their textbooks and the BBC shows a map of both Britain and Ireland when referring to their own country.

Also, most Europeans consider the Irish as British as well.

Asking them if the IRA are British too usually does the trick for me:D

[geysir]

So much for education in the rest of Europe.

I feel better now about all that basic politico/geographical knowledge I picked up in primary school.

[BonnieShels]

So much for education in the rest of Europe.

I feel better now about all that basic politico/geographical knowledge I picked up in primary school.

It does tend to mean that we offend less people the world over. That and the lack of invasion, colonisation, pillage and rape.

[mark12345]

Hi. Was over six hours ahead of you there if you scroll up the page.



As Stutts quite rightfully pointed out, Trap's employment of Robbie at 10 is more in line with what was agreed upon with most arguing against you saying it was worth looking at. Your point was very strongly made for Robbie to play in central midfield, which is certainly not what Trap is doing tonight.

Too true. Certainly not what Trap did with Robbie tonight.

Robbie looked lost at times but that's simply because all we could do is bang the ball long from the back, to no one in particular. I saw someone earlier in a post saying that Whelan and Andrews were holding the line - what was that the clothes line?

Hopefully Trap's vision for Robbie is a player who operates in the middle third, coming to receive and distribute the ball. I know he has the dexterity to do the job but I lament sometimes for us as a team. We simply cannot pass the ball with any fluency and far too many of our players are scared out of their wits when pressured.

Only Keane, Duff and McGeady remain as those players who can hold up the ball and make things happen (although Walters looks extremely promising and must be in the starting eleven) in the opposition half.

[Carrigaline]

Too true. Certainly not what Trap did with Robbie tonight.

Robbie looked lost at times but that's simply because all we could do is bang the ball long from the back, to no one in particular. I saw someone earlier in a post saying that Whelan and Andrews were holding the line - what was that the clothes line?

Hopefully Trap's vision for Robbie is a player who operates in the middle third, coming to receive and distribute the ball. I know he has the dexterity to do the job but I lament sometimes for us as a team. We simply cannot pass the ball with any fluency and far too many of our players are scared out of their wits when pressured.

Only Keane, Duff and McGeady remain as those players who can hold up the ball and make things happen (although Walters looks extremely promising and must be in the starting eleven) in the opposition half.
For the first 20 minutes several balls were played over the top of the defence that he was able to run onto and get chances from. I think that is a play we need to try more.

[tetsujin1979]

Keane suffered from Long being off the pace tonight, he was almost playing up front by himself at times. Did have the best chance of the first half to score though.

[John83]

I often skip the quoted text in a post, especially if I've read a couple of pages in the thread and am therefore likely to have just read it above. It occasionally makes for a spectacular non sequitur though.


It does tend to mean that we offend less people the world over. That and the lack of invasion, colonisation, pillage and rape.


Too true. Certainly not what Trap did with Robbie tonight.

[Eminence Grise]

Thanking that purely because of the gratuitous use of a Latinism!! (OK... And because it's funny!!)

[Stuttgart88]

I think I've told my latinism story here before, but on a stag night a pal of mine was chatting up a girl who called him a pretentious tw@t for dropping in a latin phrase like et cetera or ad infinitum into the converstaion, to which he replied "if that makes me a pretentious tw@t then mea culpa". She looked at him blankly while we nearly crapped ourselves laughing.

I think you'd need to have been there.

[the bear]

I think I've told my latinism story here before, but on a stag night a pal of mine was chatting up a girl who called him a pretentious tw@t for dropping in a latin phrase like et cetera or ad infinitum into the converstaion, to which he replied "if that makes me a pretentious tw@t then mea culpa". She looked at him blankly while we nearly crapped ourselves laughing.

I think you'd need to have been there.

i was out smokin outside boomerangs on fleet street years ago and this young one was telling me how she only drinks certain white wine. i said what are ye a connoisseur? she nearly went for me shouting "what did you bleedin call me", i couldn't stop laughing then, she really took offence.

then shortly afterwards on the way back in a different girl fell down the stairs, down about 5 steps. she was only about 5 foot tall, built like a barrell. she wasn't hurt anyway, she jumped up straight away and looked back up the stairs, only she hadn't noticed one of her tits had fallen out and was nearly hangin down to the floor again. i had to sit down for a while after that;).

[John83]

i was out smokin outside boomerangs on fleet street years ago and this young one was telling me how she only drinks certain white wine. i said what are ye a connoisseur? she nearly went for me shouting "what did you bleedin call me", i couldn't stop laughing then, she really took offence.

then shortly afterwards on the way back in a different girl fell down the stairs, down about 5 steps. she was only about 5 foot tall, built like a barrell. she wasn't hurt anyway, she jumped up straight away and looked back up the stairs, only she hadn't noticed one of her tits had fallen out and was nearly hangin down to the floor again. i had to sit down for a while after that;).
That reminds me: as a wee nipper, I once asked a friend of mine if it was true he was a prostitute. It was an innocent question, me being too young to in fact know that I meant to say "Protestant" (which he was) - I don't think I really knew what either word meant. That earned me a dig.

[BonnieShels]

I often skip the quoted text in a post, especially if I've read a couple of pages in the thread and am therefore likely to have just read it above. It occasionally makes for a spectacular non sequitur though.

This is a better Non Sequitir... :)

http://cdn.svcs.c2.uclick.com/c2/56ed8900d96c012da5c400163e41dd5b?width=900.0

[back of the net]

Was at the CONCACAF Champions Lge Quarter Final between Toronto FC and L.A Galaxy . Finished 2-2 . Keane was anonymous for most of the game.


Absolutely nothing to report, very quiet game from Keane.

Struggling to say anything positive about the game to be honest

[DannyInvincible]

Ominous or anonymous?

[back of the net]

Ominous or anonymous?

Ominously anonymous (:


Cheers Danny(ive corrected my error in my last post)....yeah he was anonymous.....just wasnt involved in the game at all imo.


Although that excuse of football pitch Toronto played the game on didnt help matters

[Colbert Report]

The match itself was incredible, I found. Fifty thousand at the baseball stadium where the Toronto Blue Jays play was not bad! The pitch was terrible but the crowd was going insane, when Toronto went one nil up I thought the roof was going to come off the stadium. They supporters were cheering every pass the whole match, what a great spectacle.

Crap football though. One lad scored with a header from outside the box. Says it all really!

[tricky_colour]

Video highlights here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVq20v0LfI8
I didn't realise you had your own equivalent of the Champions league over there, I do now.
Certainly drew in a big and lively crowd by the looks of it.

[back of the net]

The match itself was incredible, I found.

Crap football though. One lad scored with a header from outside the box. Says it all really!

?????????



The standard was extremely low, although compared to this time last year Toronto FC have improved quite alot under their new management regime and of course having Torsten Frings in the side helped that.


The playing surface was a complete joke for such a big game.

In saying that it was great for the city and the publicity it got can only do good for devloping football in Toronto

[back of the net]

Video highlights here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVq20v0LfI8
I didn't realise you had your own equivalent of the Champions league over there, I do now.
Certainly drew in a big and lively crowd by the looks of it.



Drew in a great crowd T.C , you could sense a buzz around the city during the day , which is a very rare thing to happen in Toronto for a football game

[nigel-harps1954]

Holy christ that Toronto goalkeeper is shocking.

[EastTerracer]

LA Galaxy lose their first game of the MLS season 1-3 at home against Real Salt Lake.

A poor enough game from Robbie who had two or three chances in the first hour but didn't get a clean strike on any of them. His first shot on target was in the last three minutes but it was well saved by the keeper. To be fair to him the Galaxy were launching a lot of balls over his head in the hope that he would break the office trap.

[Stuttgart88]

Drew in a great crowd T.C , you could sense a buzz around the city during the day , which is a very rare thing to happen in Toronto for a football gameA bit like Dublin then.

[the bear]

not really, we can't draw a crowd

[EastTerracer]

Another bad defeat for the LA Galaxy - 1-2 at home to Toronto in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League. Toronto through to the semi-final 4-3 on aggregate.

Another poor night for Robbie - missed a couple of good chances to get the Galaxy back into the game. He is clearly still making the adjustment back to MLS after his stint at Villa.

[Colbert Report]

Robbie anonymous for the Galaxy tonight, they were knocked out of the CONCACAF Champion's League by Toronto 2-1, 4-3 on aggregate. Toronto FC through to the semi-finals.

LA looked out of sorts, what a crap level of football. I honestly thought it was getting better but the MLS is just plain terrible football. Toronto got a corner right in injury time and none of the Galaxy players caught on to the fact that their opponents were likely to try a short corner. No atmosphere at the match either.

[Colbert Report]

Another bad defeat for the LA Galaxy - 1-2 at home to Toronto in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League. Toronto through to the semi-final 4-3 on aggregate.

Another poor night for Robbie - missed a couple of good chances to get the Galaxy back into the game. He is clearly still making the adjustment back to MLS after his stint at Villa.

What are the odds?