Robbie Keane

[Irish_Praha]

Carried on where he left off early this morning with the second goal in a 2-0 win for the galaxy in their first game of the season

Highlights of the game here: http://www.lagalaxy.com/news/2015/03/la-galaxy-open-2015-2-0-win-over-chicago-fire
Nice finish

My god what annoying commentators. I couldn't listen to them for much longer than that 3 min clip.

[Charlie Darwin]

If Keane was a British player with the same international accomplishments he'd be knighted! I'm drawing a blank on a similar recognition over here, Freedom of Tallaght maybe! :p
Could name a stand after him.

[tetsujin1979]

Could name a stand after him.
there was talk for a while that the stadium would be named after him! Definitely remember reading it on rte.ie but I can't find the story now

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Any chance Keane would play for Shamrock Rovers before he retires? He said he wants to play into his forties.

Hey. Nobody thought Duff would want to play LOI and people dismissed the idea of Miller going home.

[Macy]

Hey. Nobody thought Duff would want to play LOI and people dismissed the idea of Miller going home.
Except all the people that listened to Duff over the years say he wanted to play LoI before he retired!

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

In fairness, I think he only started saying that shortly before he went to Australia.

I am open to correction on that now.

[DeLorean]

TOWK - you should just make 'I am open to correction on that' your signature :)

[Charlie Darwin]

In fairness, I think he only started saying that shortly before he went to Australia.

I am open to correction on that now.
No, he said it when he was at Newcastle if I remember correctly. They played Rovers in a pre-season friendly and got a bit of stick from the crowd so he joked he wouldn't be signing for them.

[tetsujin1979]

Robbie Keane's goal nominated for MLS goal of the week: http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2015/03/09/vote-now-2015-att-mls-goal-week-week-1
Vote early, vote often

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Kevin Kilbane says Robbie Keane "must start" against Poland.

Link on 42.ie. Would post only i am on mobile.

[Closed Account]

Kevin Kilbane says Robbie Keane "must start" against Poland.

Link on 42.ie. Would post only i am on mobile.
http://www.the42.ie/kevin-kilbane-ireland-poland-euro-2016-qualifier-1984201-Mar2015/
Probably on about this.

Kilbane goes on to say that Shay should start. The arguments for Keane or Given to start are small. Personally I don't think they are the difference between winning and losing and it's hard to argue that they are. Eventually we have to rely on other players. Personally, I wouldn't start Keane or bring him on from the bench.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Keane defends celebration; behavior during Chicago game.

http://www.espnfc.com/major-league-soccer/story/2345144/la-galaxy-captain-robbie-keane-says-fine-inducing-gesture-not-aimed-at-fans

"A million percent, it wasn't at the fans," said Keane, who spoke to the media after a training session at StubHub Center. "So whoever said that, you can't speculate on something you don't know. It's not a big deal. It's nothing. It's passion.

"I've got passion. I've got passion," he said. "I want to win all the times. I want things to be better. I do a lot of things sometimes to get everybody going in a different way. That's my way of doing things. I do it on the training field, I do it on the field. I'll always continue to do that."

Although Keane's Galaxy came out on top, the captain was visibly frustrated throughout the course of the game, as the team struggled to find a collective rhythm and put the visiting Fire away in their season opener.

Balboa, and fellow UniMas commentator Diego Balado, suggested the behavior was disrespectful to fans and Galaxy players and that Keane should no longer be captain of the team.

[DannyInvincible]

Stephanie Roche has her say on that remark of Robbie's a few years ago: http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/stephanie-roche-robbie-keane-promised-to-stand-aside-when-a-better-striker-arrived-its-time-31110297.html


Four years ago, Robbie Keane was his usual, honest self when he proclaimed he would walk away from international football if someone more worthy took the number 10 shirt off him.

“It is all about now and I've said before if I didn't play for Ireland and someone else came in, I have always said I would walk away,” he said at the time.

At the time, some argued that Keane was throwing his toys out of the pram and threatened to stop playing for his beloved country if he was not picked. I was in no doubt that Keane simply meant he would gladly give the jersey to a more deserving prospect.

Maybe it didn’t come out the way he would have liked, but does anyone really think that Robbie Keane is a man who would walk away from international football because he is not starting?

For anyone who even thinks that, Keane didn’t start in Scotland.

It’s testament to the great Keano that, four years later, here we are still talking about our main striker. I have always admired Keane. Not just his undoubted ability to find the back of the net, but also his honesty, on and off the pitch.

That interview four years ago was his genuine honesty shining through but maybe the time has come to fulfil that promise. Keane still has so much to offer his country but those aging legs will not get any quicker. The time has come for something fresh in attack.

While Shane Long’s lack of competitive goals for Ireland is alarming, it should also be noted that he has only started a handful of competitive games for his country.

I have dreaded the day I was going to say this, but it’s time to fulfil that promise of four years ago and make way for someone else Robbie.

...

[DeLorean]

He's obviously going to see this campaign through so it's up to O'Neill if he plays or not. I don't see the sense in expecting him to "make way".

[Charlie Darwin]

Ireland star SLAMS message board poster

[OwlsFan]

Stephanie Roche has her say on that remark of Robbie's a few years ago: http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/stephanie-roche-robbie-keane-promised-to-stand-aside-when-a-better-striker-arrived-its-time-31110297.html

Ghost written, probably by TOWK. In fact she could be TOWK.

Football is such a knee-jerk reaction sport. Long is now the messiah because he scored off a defender's shin. He couldn't hit a barn door before that in previous games. I am not sure his 1 in 4 games ratio at club and country level (albeit many as sub) is enough but we're caught between a rock and a hard place. An aging record goal scorer or a forward with pace who might get one every 4 games. I'll leave MON to sort that one out but as regards Robbie I am drawn to the quote of Mark Twain: "Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated".

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Shane Long has been more effective than Robbie Keane over the last 3 odd years. It's not a knee-jerk reaction. This isn't one bad match Keane had. This is a frequent occurrence - and one that is unlikely to change considering he turns 35 in the summer. Long, when given the chance, has been one of our best players against teams like Serbia & Italy and has actually had the footballing intelligence so many here accuse him of lacking, and the pace, to anticipate and get on the end of his (Hoolahan) passes. He has also proven more than capable of forming respected strike partnerships with players like Odemwingie & Jelavic or leading the line and dragging defenders around.

"....couldn't hit a barn door before that in previous games". Yeah yeah pull the other one. 1 in 3 starts in the Premier League is a record any modern footballer outside the top 7 teams would be proud to have and better than 1 in 2 starts at International level likewise.

Who is calling him the "messiah". :rolleyes:

He's a better, more pragmatic, option than Keane. And pretty much anyone in the game would agree with that sentiment.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Approximately a year later and the cyber bully is still picking on me because of my opinions on those comments? Water under the bridge. Beg to differ. Respect your opinion and I respect yours eh. :rolleyes:

Build a bridge.

I knew fully well that would be happening when I seen Stephanie's column on The Indo.

I respect her opinion anyway. Eloquent, modest woman who doesn't have an ego on her despite her myriad accomplishments within the game.

I hope she writes more.

[DannyInvincible]

Approximately five months later, Robbie is still accepting call-ups for us and hasn't walked off in a huff despite having been dropped in Glasgow. He said in an interview with RTÉ pre-Poland game that there was no tension whatsoever between himself and Martin over the latter's decision to drop him for the Scotland game (in spite of RTÉ's best efforts to make some drama out of it with the silly Saipan-style dread music over a video clip of Martin and Robbie walking into the Celtic Park dressing room) and that he was prepared to fulfill whatever was expected of him. Give the man the credit and respect he deserves. Not all opinions deserve to be treated equally.

In related news, Stephen Hunt wants Robbie benched if we wish to employ our most effective system: http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/stephen-hunt-subs-bench-the-only-place-for-robbie-keane-in-irelands-most-effective-system-31118813.html


There are times when it can get pretty frustrating being on the field with Robbie Keane. I’ve sometimes played a pass to Robbie and the next thing his arms are thrown up in frustration, with the whole crowd believing that the ball didn’t meet the required standard.

I’d often stand there and think ‘why don’t you just run after it, Robbie?’

...

The problem for Robbie is that I don’t think he can score in the system Ireland played last weekend and I think it’s Ireland’s most effective system. Things changed against Poland when Jonathan Walters moved up front because then there was a presence there and maybe that can help Robbie, although last week it didn’t.

...

Under O’Neill, I think Ireland will vary it. But whatever they do, they need a front man who is suited to the system. It might be sacrilege to say it, but goals are not enough. Robbie Keane needs to provide them from the bench and Ireland need to look to a future which could yet be promising.

[DannyInvincible]

That interview between Tony O'Donoghue and Robbie was at 24:30 here: http://www.rte.ie/player/ie/show/10396356/

The whole feature was even more ridiculous than I remember. Check out the camera zooming in on footage of Darragh's pixelated face to emphasise the supposed ominous nature of what he's saying as he was announcing the news that Robbie would be on the bench in Glasgow.

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc12/poguemahone85/darragh_zpsuhmlm5ev.png

This was Robbie's response when Tony asked him how he felt about being left out:


No, I'm fine about it. What you have to understand is that the manager has a big choice to make and you have to respect his decision and what he believes is going to help the team at that moment in time. So, as you get older and as you get more experience, you kind of understand the game a bit more and, as you're captain as well, you have to make sure you're leading by example on the field and off the field. I wasn't happy with not playing; of course not. You want to play every game. The way I reacted was in a positive way that maybe I wouldn't have done a few years ago. I was certainly making sure I was doing the right thing for the team because the team comes first.

And before anyone cherrypicks that "maybe I wouldn't have done a few years ago" bit, that doesn't equate to him saying he might have hung his boots up in a huff if the same had happened earlier. He's just telling us that he has matured as a player and that he is dealing with the situation maturely, as he, most likely (bar an unlikely "maybe not"), always would have done. Robbie has always been able to appreciate that the manager's decisions and the team are bigger than he is.

[SkStu]

In related news, Stephen Hunt wants Robbie benched if we wish to employ our most effective system: http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/stephen-hunt-subs-bench-the-only-place-for-robbie-keane-in-irelands-most-effective-system-31118813.html

Lest we forget...

http://oi5.tinypic.com/7xmgu9u.jpg

[Stuttgart88]

I couldn't give a hoot about Shane Long's goals to starts ratio. I have seen with my own eyes how he gives up presentable chances that a more clinical striker would take. He has other essential attributes though which go a long way to compensating. I'd start him myself, and I think Hunt is largely right above.

[DeLorean]

Some fairly unnecessary comments by Hunt as well to cause a stir. A bit disappointing to be honest, and that's not just being pro-Robbie, I think he could have made his point, which is probably the general consensus at this stage, without resorting to that.

[OwlsFan]

There is no doubt that Robbie, at 34, is nearing the end of his brilliant career for Ireland, although the likes of Shearer went on at club level until he was 36 but retired earlier from international football. I think Hunt's comments about Robbie not trying are totally unwarranted. Sure he probably complained when he wasn't fed the right ball (what striker doesn't), but I have never seen him not try and I would have seen nearly all his games live. Even against Poland he still, dare I say it, worked his socks off in a lone role up front.

I haven't seen one voice in the media standing up for him now (Paul McGrath being the latest to come down on the drop Robbie brigade side) but I was still delighted that the fans at the game gave him the reception he deserved last week and continue to remain loyal. The media are as usual like wolves: once they sense blood, they go in for the kill. Personally, I think he still has a lot to offer (is he once again our leading scorer this campaign - haven't checked the stats).

As for Shane Long, his goals per appearance should matter because he is a striker whose job it is to score. However, he is what he is and when Robbie goes, that is who we have to look to as I don't believe that any of our other forwards on the bench (Stokes, Murphy etc) are of international standard. At least Shane has pace and is good in the air and can survive at international level along with Walters but unless someone with a proven eye for goal comes through, Keane's imminent departure will create a huge void. I was hoping Eoin Doyle might make an impact but the signs at Cardiff aren't so good at the moment.

[Fixer82]

To be fair to McGrath's piece, he said Robbie should be dropped because he is not suited to the lone striker role the system demands.
And he's right. Long is much better suited to that role.

Would love to see Robbie and McClean both used as impact subs with half an hour, twenty mins to go

[tetsujin1979]

Robbie misses out for the Galaxy tonight against Seattle Sounders with a groin strain, and, according to some reports, hasn't trained all week

[Stuttgart88]

Lazy git

[tetsujin1979]

Still out with a groin injury, misses out on tonight's game against the New York Red Bulls

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Foot.ie v TOWK, ex Ireland players, media & non Ireland supporters.

:p

Shane Long gets criticised for scoring (just like Serbia). Keane gets unconditional support, despite touching the ball about 7 times.

Keane has showed commitment but his words also speak for themselves without needing to be cherry picked by either side.

Though I would say remaining on the bench for the Poland game would have shown more strength of resolve than being immediately reinstated.

I'd say playing in America has actually given Robbie a greater taste for International football and made him appreciate it even more - if possible - than playing at the top level in England.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

And we don't have another Keane coming through. Like Don Henley said, get over it. He is one of a kind but his powers are really on the wane.

Just look to Northern Ireland. David Healy was a bang average player at any level, let alone Premier League level. Kyle Lafferty is a bang average player at any level.

They have scored and performed regularly at Intl. level.

Anthony Stokes & Daryl Murphy have never really got a push at this level. Shane Long has only made about 20 starts at this level, and in spits and spurts.

Who is to say that players like Eoin Doyle couldn't make some kind of impact at this level? It might suit them.

[tetsujin1979]

Foot.ie v TOWK, ex Ireland players, media & non Ireland supporters.

:p
Get over yourself, you're not standing alone with your opinions, neither is the entire board against you



Shane Long gets criticised for scoring (just like Serbia). Keane gets unconditional support, despite touching the ball about 7 times.
there's plenty of criticism of Keane in the match thread, both in the live posts while the game was in progress, and in the post match reviews

[Charlie Darwin]

Why was this even brought up now? Tets bumped the thread to bring us up to date on Robbie's fitness and all of a sudden we're being steered back into the most tired, boring and soul-destroying boring argument on THE. ENTIRE. INTERNET.

[DannyInvincible]

Keane has showed commitment but his words also speak for themselves without needing to be cherry picked by either side.

http://replygif.net/i/914.gif

Just no.

[tetsujin1979]

Robbie missed last night's game for LA Galaxy against Real Salt Lake, and won't play their weekend game against FC Dallas.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Targeting return to training within 2 weeks.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2015/05/14/la-galaxy-forward-robbie-keane-continuing-make-progress-timetable-return-sti

Keane says he'll “be back” in training within two weeks. He's “not even focusing” on Ireland's June 7 friendly against England and June 13 European Championship qualifier against Scotland. He was included Tuesday on manager Martin O'Neill's 33-man preliminary roster for those matches.

“I'm focusing on getting myself playing for the Galaxy first, and then as soon as I get fit for that, then I can worry about [Ireland],” he said. “For me, most important is focusing on getting back training by the end of this week or the start of next week, and then just seeing how I am.

“I'm not going [to guarantee] I'll be back next week, because I thought I would be back 2-3 weeks ago, and I wasn't, so you start saying that, and you don't really know. So I want to concentrate on hopefully getting back next week training and just take it from there.”

[tetsujin1979]

Off the bench last night to assist a late winner for the galaxy against Houston
RCrNPV_4_Po

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Unavailable for last night's game. Surely he won't start against Scotland? McGeady is another player really lacking in match practice/sharpness. Two good options off the bench but I would be disappointed if we go back to the well and start them again.

[tetsujin1979]

Resting a groin strain according to LA Galaxy. Their game last night was against New England Revolution, in Boston, and it was felt it wasn't worth the risk to fly to the other side of the country if he was only going to be a sub

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Where were you when Robbie Keane stuck the ball in the back of the German net 13 years ago?

http://www.joe.ie/sport/pic-irish-people-share-some-great-memories-of-robbie-keanes-dramatic-goal-against-germany-in-02/498500

Pub in Limerick. Older brother was doing the Junior Cert and watched it in school. Invigilator makes politically incorrect comment while watching France match.

[samhaydenjr]

Where were you when Robbie Keane stuck the ball in the back of the German net 13 years ago?

http://www.joe.ie/sport/pic-irish-people-share-some-great-memories-of-robbie-keanes-dramatic-goal-against-germany-in-02/498500

Pub in Limerick. Older brother was doing the Junior Cert and watched it in school. Invigilator makes politically incorrect comment while watching France match.

I was living in London and working in a market research company - was on lunch for the last fifteen minutes of the first half and first 30 of the second half and watched it in the building security guard's office but had to go to work before the end. But I had to know what was happening so I took a "toilet break" two minutes from time and took my Walkman with me and heard something like this "Finnan...krsdhsdhhh...Quinn knocks it down to KEANE! SURELY THIS TIME!!! KRSHRJSHSHSHSHHSH!!!!" Took me a few more seconds to confirm that he had scored but if someone had seen me my reaction, waving my arms wildly in that bathroom stall, they would have seriously questioned my sanity.

[Stuttgart88]

Ibaraki. Behind the goal, to the right.

[Irish_Praha]

I was working in Nurnberg Uni at the time. Me and about 30 German postgrads and professors looking on a small telly in the social room.
I remember the German commentator saying look at all those sad (as in unhappy) Guinness drinkers the first time they showed Irish fans after Klose's goal.
They were all looking very smug in the social room and were sure of the win until disaster struck and Kean scored. All of them were totally silent and I of course went nuts ;)

[DeLorean]

I was in a local pub running through the permutations in my mind for the final round of games, and none of them included us scoring late equaliser in the game on the screen. The bar was mobbed to an extent that we'd never see these days. There was a surreal pause of almost disbelief when Quinn knocked it on and Keane's first touch put him in a position where something might just happen. The bar went absolutely mental, pints were literally just dropped on the ground as strangers wrapped around each other. There was glass everywhere, soaked and crunching with every step. Later that evening I went home for my dinner, p!ssed, with the intention of going straight back out to continue the celebrations. Instead, I feel asleep, head down on the kitchen table, with my barely nibbled at dinner beside me. My mother was never so proud. I eventually woke up to about twenty missed calls from my buddies who made the wise choice not to go home. I went down to meet them again but a peculiar same day hangover replaced the earlier intoxication. The only other football match that generated such hysteria, that I was old enough to be in a pub drinking for, was the Dutch game in the qualifiers, but the Germany one even topped that. You really can't beat the euphoria that comes with a significant injury time goal.

[geysir]

I was working in Nurnberg Uni at the time. Me and about 30 German postgrads and professors looking on a small telly in the social room.
I remember the German commentator saying look at all those sad (as in unhappy) Guinness drinkers the first time they showed Irish fans after Klose's goal.
They were all looking very smug in the social room and were sure of the win until disaster struck and Kean scored. All of them were totally silent and I of course went nuts ;)
Sounds like you might have felt the Banner Roar, probably best experienced in the middle of a room full of stunned Germans.

[Charlie Darwin]

Robbie signs an extension at LA: http://www.lagalaxy.com/news/2015/06/la-galaxy-sign-robbie-keane-contract-extension

[Fixer82]

Where were you when Robbie Keane stuck the ball in the back of the German net 13 years ago?http://www.joe.ie/sport/pic-irish-people-share-some-great-memories-of-robbie-keanes-dramatic-goal-against-germany-in-02/498500Pub in Limerick. Older brother was doing the Junior Cert and watched it in school. Invigilator makes politically incorrect comment while watching France match.A friend of mine lived in a mobile home in his aunty's back garden in Wexford. We were both broke students so watched it there with the door swinging open as it was sweltering heat as I recall

[DannyInvincible]

Where were you when Robbie Keane stuck the ball in the back of the German net 13 years ago?

I was squeezed against the bar in the Bound for Boston pub at the top of Waterloo Street in Derry when I really should have been revising for my GCSEs. (Well, actually, no; one can always repeat their GCSEs...) Glasses, chairs, tables and tricolour-draped people were literally upended when Robbie scored. The place was left a complete mess. Everyone cleared out of all the pubs then - the weather being an absolute treat - and we all gathered down at the bottom of Shipquay Street to watch more balls bouncing around.

MOD EDIT - PHOTO NSFW
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CGwwdPVW8AAoURP.jpg

I've posted that photo before, and I'll post it again. Great day. :)

[Charlie Darwin]

Danny, we've told you before. If you want to show off your body, there are more appropriate websites you can visit.

[geysir]

It was a great end but that was an ott celebration by Danny.
Dancing almost buck naked (wearing shoes) on the roof of a car, denting the panel, was more of a late winner to get through to the 1/4 final celebration.

[DeLorean]

Hat-trick for Robbie in the US Open Cup - The King is back! (http://www.lagalaxy.com/news/2015/06/king-back-robbie-keane-announces-his-return-hat-trick-6-1-win-over-psa-elite)

Marca saying he was Rafa's biggest blunder (http://www.marca.com/en/2015/06/18/en/football/real_madrid/1434662981.html)

(although I think it was fairly well documented that Benitez didn't want him in the first place, maybe the actual blunder was not making the best of it when he had him).

Edit- Plus, wasn't he just sold straight back to Tottenham, not originally loaned back... I can see why Eamon Dunphy swears by this newspaper.