Robbie Keane

[Razors left peg]

Playing for Celtic never did Larrson any harm. Yes overall the strenght of Celtic and Rangers were stronger then but the rest of the league wasnt much different.Id much prefer to see Robbie scoring goals every week and playing in the Champions league then playing for a team at the foot of the Premiership. I still think he is better than Defoe and was getting a raw deal at Spurs but he is now playing in a massive club where he will be a god and that will only be good for his confidence.At the age he is at now he is not going to dramatically improve his game no matter if he was playing every week for Man United but for me a confident Robbie Keane is vital for Ireland

[dan o d]

if robbie gets off to a bad start ( a la liverpool) , he will be by no means guarenteed first team football. samaras, fortune, kamara and rasmussen are a lot better than liverpools only other back up striker at that time _ ngog.

[twoenz]

Robbie had a wee dig at Roy Keane in his interview with Sky Sports: said that he didn't want to come there at the age of 34 and past it, thinks he's joining at the peak of his career.

It's not a bad deal for Keane. He can play regularly, has nothing really to lose. If it doesn't work out he can always argue that he didn't have time to get settled and go back to the Premier League.

[endabob1]

I still think he is better than Defoe and was getting a raw deal at Spurs but he is now playing in a massive club where he will be a god and that will only be good for his confidence.At the age he is at now he is not going to dramatically improve his game no matter if he was playing every week for Man United but for me a confident Robbie Keane is vital for Ireland

Far from getting a raw deal at Spurs he was still being given opportunities from the bench when his form since October has been abysmal. Pauvlauchenko has got a raw deal, Keane has had more than his share of chances.

[ifk101]

Robbie organised a Christmas party in Dublin against the wishes of Harry Redknapp. That was foolish to say the least, and down right stupid given his role as club captain. While this isn't the reason Robbie isn't in the first team at Spurs, it certainly has impacted on his position at the club.

The move to Celtic seems to be financially attractive to him as well as giving him a chance to regain confidence and get first team football. It gives him the opportunity to put himself in the shop window or to show Spurs what they are missing out on.

Robbie is still our number one striker and a proven goalscorer at international level. Our next competitive fixture isn't until after the summer so I'm happy Robbie is going to get plenty of shooting practice in Scotland before our qualifiers start.

[back of the net]

Robbie had a wee dig at Roy Keane in his interview with Sky Sports: said that he didn't want to come there at the age of 34 and past it, thinks he's joining at the peak of his career.

It's not a bad deal for Keane. He can play regularly, has nothing really to lose. If it doesn't work out he can always argue that he didn't have time to get settled and go back to the Premier League.


Yeah thought he was having a dig at Roy as well when i saw that .

http://www.skysports.com/video/inline/0,26691,12606_5911477,00.html

[Scram]

GREAT TURNOUT FROM GREAT FANS

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/scotland/8493570.stm (PS. That's not him pulling up in the Merc Convertible...it's an ad!

ROBBIE INTERVIEW "At Celtic to win trophies"...which ones Robbie??

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/scotland/8493505.stm

[seanfhear]

GREAT TURNOUT FROM GREAT FANS

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/scotland/8493570.stm (PS. That's not him pulling up in the Merc Convertible...it's an ad!

ROBBIE INTERVIEW "At Celtic to win trophies"...which ones Robbie??

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/scotland/8493505.stm
Good interview from Robbie there.

I hope it goes well for him and Celtic.

[Greenforever]

Best of luck to Robbie, and I reckon it could be great news for Ireland. IF he stays at Celtic and they are in the champions league he will be playing at the level we need for the all important qualifiers each Sep / Oct /Nov. Yes the SPL is a lower level, but he could still get more minutes on the pitch at a higher level than hes getting at Spurs and may even help him extend his career by a couple of years.

[Jicked]

He simply wont be at Celtic next year. The brief interviews I read from him suggested as much, and Celtic don't have the money to buy him from Spurs, or to offer Robbie a two or three year deal. He's simply there because he was told to leave Tottenham, and with no-one spending any money in January had nowhere where his large transfer fee/wages could be sorted easily. It was only after the English deadline passed that the wheels of the Celtic move began to turn. It's a short term option to keep himself fit and in the shop window for a summer move to a Premier League club who have had time to financially prepare themselves for taking on his wages and transfer fee.

[Razors left peg]

The only way possible that Celtic could afford to keep him long term would be if Dermot Desmond personally financed it which he is rumoured to have done with this deal

[Mayo_Bhoy]

celtic are woeful. the spl is woeful. he may as well have come home to play for rovers in tallaght


the rest of the team is utter rubbish tho (with the possible exception of mcgeady).

So the rest of the team is rubbish?? How do you know this exactly?? Which players are you tlking about???

[Greenforever]

He simply wont be at Celtic next year. The brief interviews I read from him suggested as much, and Celtic don't have the money to buy him from Spurs, or to offer Robbie a two or three year deal. He's simply there because he was told to leave Tottenham, and with no-one spending any money in January had nowhere where his large transfer fee/wages could be sorted easily. It was only after the English deadline passed that the wheels of the Celtic move began to turn. It's a short term option to keep himself fit and in the shop window for a summer move to a Premier League club who have had time to financially prepare themselves for taking on his wages and transfer fee.

You may find very few clubs willing to pay the asking price and Spurs may end up continuing to pay half his wages like Leeds were paying his wages for years after he left them. I think they would prefer to do that with him playing in the SPL rather than the permiership. Funny old game this football, and Harry Redknapp is a law unto himself in the transfer market.

[Jicked]

I can't see that happening. Aston Villa, Sunderland, Birmingham, Everton, Fulham, Blackburn, West Ham and numerous others would all be able to meet a £7-10mill fee in the summer when they have a bit of time to prepare for such a deal, especially as Keane would be a very popular signing at any of those clubs. Dermot Desmond is financing this deal, but I strongly doubt he could afford a £9mill transfer fee and then offer Robbie a 2/3 year deal in excess of £55k (minimum) as those Premier League clubs could. The reason Robbie didn't sign for another EPL club is down to the well noted difficulties in doing a deal at this stage of the season, not because no club in the Premier League wanted, or couldn't afford him.

[christo]

Anyone know if he has started tonight?

[Razors left peg]

Anyone know if he has started tonight?
He has yeah, couple of nice touches so far but not heavily involved

[Maroon 7]

Just had a good chance but fired it straight at the keeper.

[boovidge]

I can't find a decent stream to watch the game but everytime one flickers on I'm treated to the crowd singing "Billy Boys". Scottish football really is a cesspit. Very disappointed in the move.

[twoenz]

Celtic have been woeful tonight. Keane's been OK. It's been a typical performance from the last few years, he's had plenty of effort but in a lot of the wrong areas.

The team has no ideas, McGeady being chief in the wasters. Doesn't really matter what Keane does now, that's 10 points behind with the same amount of games played. After today's result they're going to lose any good buzz they would have had going for home ticket sales for the next game.

[tricky_colour]

Lost 0:1 at full time I think.

[Maroon 7]

May as well send Keane back now. I presume they got him in order to win the league and get the CL cash. Tonight's result is more or less league over for Celtic. They are a complete shambles under Mowbray.

Keane had two chances and hit them both at the keeper. Not much else to report.

[Scram]

Ridiculous decision by Mowbray to play all his new signings together in a must win game. Introduce them slowly FFS! That's 10 points behind with equal games played. No coming back from it this time unless Rangers buckle. Highly unlikely. MUGGED.

[Serb]

Keane had two chances and hit them both at the keeper. Not much else to report.

Sounds like a shambles of a game. According to the Guardian's stats, Celtic only had two shots on target in the whole game, so looks like Keane had a monopoly on the team's efforts.

[Scram]

Sounds like a shambles of a game. According to the Guardian's stats, Celtic only had two shots on target in the whole game, so looks like Keane had a monopoly on the team's efforts.

Once Kilmarnock scored they played the rest of the game in their half. Unfortunately, Celtic's passes went astray a lot, not surprisingly when they haven't played together before.

INDIVIDUALLY, CELTIC'S SUPERIORITY AND CLASS WAS EVIDENT BUT THEY CAN'T EXPECT TO GEL INSTANTLY. :-(

[old git]

whoops ANOTHER 3 points dropped tonight beaten 1-0 by the mighty kilmarnock ... not looking so good for league now

[old git]

keane is a massive Liverpool fan - they were his team as a boy as he said numerous times when he signed up. Isn't the celtic thing well I'm Irish so I'm suppose to support celtic?! SPL is muck.......

why didn't he go to the championship where the standard is better?

in fairness to robbie keane leeds were his boyhood favourite team , then liverpool & now celtic ... how many more times is he going to say this drivel everytime he moves ..

[Razors left peg]

in fairness to robbie keane leeds were his boyhood favourite team , then liverpool & now celtic ... how many more times is he going to say this drivel everytime he moves ..
Why is it so difficult for some people to understand that alot of people in Ireland grow up supporting Celtic as well as an English team?

[yapster]

Celtic were mad to have Mowbray as manager, it was a sentimental decision to get him as he was a favorite with the fans,it's akin to Stauntons appointment with Ireland only Mowbray has some experience as a manager.

[Scram]

Why is it so difficult for some people to understand that alot of people in Ireland grow up supporting Celtic as well as an English team?

Why is it so difficult to ignore the idiots ;) ? There are a multitude of anti-Robbie and anti-McGeady, anti-Celtic twits whose opinions will always be based on their bitter prejudice and not based on any knowledge of football, so definitely best to just ignore!.

[yapster]

in fairness to robbie keane leeds were his boyhood favourite team , then liverpool & now celtic ... how many more times is he going to say this drivel everytime he moves ..


and Wolves and Coventry and Inter.. only joking guys honest. I wish Keane success at Celtic and I hope he will enjoy his time at a fantastic club like Celtic. Again tonite he lets his nerves get the better of him and fluffs two chances,he lacks that strength of character in himself. I do think he will score some for Celtic this season and hopefully win a trophy for Celtic.

[Crosby87]

Razor you have seemed to be talking the whole Keane thing very personally these last few days!

[old git]

Why is it so difficult for some people to understand that alot of people in Ireland grow up supporting Celtic as well as an English team?

not difficult to understand as i grew up supporting them also....
but keane spouting on now about his childhood favourite club again , must be a least 4 english clubs & celtic now
getting a bit boring now. lets be honest he only moved to get regular football which manager must have promised him and mr desmond must be paying his 60 plus grand a week so don't try and convince us move was for his love of celtic. but i do hope he can score goals to hopefully rescue something back from this so far disapointing season .

[endabob1]

I don't ever recall Keane saying he supported anyone else in England except Liverpool, he has certainly never said it about Spurs. He said on his return that the club had a special place in his heart because he'd spent so much time there & he had a great realtionship with the fans (which is blown now btw) but that's not the same thing.

I hope he does a Bellamy at Celtic but I worry because his club form this season has been brutal

[Razors left peg]

Razor you have seemed to be talking the whole Keane thing very personally these last few days!
I dont know about personally, but Ive never hidden that Im a big Celtic fan and also Robbie Keane is one of my favorite footballers so maybe I have got a bit annoyed critisism of both.

[elroy]

Whatever faint notions Celtic fans of winning the league are surely gone after last night. A very inept performance. Ridiculous managment that so many new signings started the game. Yes Celtic created the most chances but they are a very poor team at present.
The Irish times today are claiming that Keane turned down a move to Wolves on the transfer deadline day.

[Leeside Swagger]

Only saw the first half but Kilmarnock seemed to be playing the better football, Celtic just packed the midfield and tried to play through them. Robbie came very deep and didn't have much joy.
Hopefully he'll score a few goals and get a move to a premiership team in the close season ala Craig Bellamy.

[yapster]

Keane is there to get first team football and to keep his wages at 80,000 a week. A ridiculous amount if you ask me.
It is said that Wolves made an offer for him but Keane would'nt take a reduction in wages, seems like money is his motivator in all this.

[Razors left peg]

if it was just money that was the motivation he could have just sat on his arse at Spurs picking up his wages for much less work

[yapster]

if it was just money that was the motivation he could have just sat on his arse at Spurs picking up his wages for much less work


I did say he was there to play first team football as well didn't I ?

Why didn't he go to Wolves to plat first team football?

[Razors left peg]

because he had the chance to go to a club he has supported all his life

[yapster]

because he had the chance to go to a club he has supported all his life


Who? Liverpool??:)

[Crosby87]

because he had the chance to go to a club he has supported all his life


He has also said he supported Leeds as a kid....

[Razors left peg]

He has also said he supported Leeds as a kid....

Id like to see the quotes where he said that because I have no memory of him saying anything like that. If he did more would have been made of it when he joined Liverpool last year and he said he was a Liverpool fan.Its been common knowledge for years that he was a Liverpool and Celtic fan as a kid.Hes not the only one in the Irish squad that is a big Celtic fan. There are plenty of youtube videos of Irish players at Celtic games

[endabob1]

Razor, I'm also interested to see those quotes because I've never heard him say any such thing. Liverpool fan & Celtic fan, yes, but that is about 50% of the male poplation in Ireland, hardly earth shattering.

[geysir]

I doubt if Celtic have anyway near the level of fandom of the leading EPL clubs.
There is not much use here to discuss the absurdities of an Irish lad's many (alleged) wandering obsessions with EPL clubs but the whole phenomenon would be an interesting subject for social research .

I don't see any reason not to believe Robbie chosing Celtic over Wolves for sentimental reasons for a 1/2 season loan move. Wolves claim they made an acceptable offer.

"We asked about Robbie Keane and I spoke to Tottenham on a couple of occasions," said Moxey.

"We knew what his wages were and we would have done that but he wasn't going to come to us. Almost every loan at this level also comes with a really hefty fee, but we would have pushed the boat out to get Robbie.

"In the end, though, the opportunity to fulfil a lifetime's ambition to play for Celtic was too much of a pull."

[Crosby87]

Razor I believe he also said he was an Inter fan growing up, when he could catch any of the games he would try to.

[Razors left peg]

Razor I believe he also said he was an Inter fan growing up, when he could catch any of the games he would try to.

ha ha, I hear hes a fan of Mumbai fc too... never misses a game when hes in that part of the world:)

[EastTerracer]

Razor I believe he also said he was an Inter fan growing up, when he could catch any of the games he would try to.


I think what he actually said at the time was that everyone in Ireland followed Inter Milan because Liam Brady was there. There is a difference between I was a boyhood Inter Milan fan and everyone in Ireland followed how they were doing (many of us did). However Robbie was only 4-6 years old at the time so he was obviously a well-informed young man.

With regard to supporting more than one team it is a very common thing in Ireland (personally its Ireland, Rovers, Celtic and Newcastle with a little bit of Barcelona in that order) but it does sound strange to many people in England who only grow up with their local team. I have no qualms with Robbie saying it because I'd probably feel the same way.

[Junior]

Its rumoured to be £60-£65k

Will cost Celtic (or Dermot Desmond) circa £1.5m in wages for the loan period. IMO, First Team football was his motivator followed by playing for Celtic. Not sure what Wolves were offering him wages wise.


EDIT: Obviously Wolves were looking to match his wages, So the Celtic pull was a bigger factor. Probably coupled with Spurs being more comfortable with him going outwith the EPL.

[Junior]

With regard to supporting more than one team it is a very common thing in Ireland (personally its Ireland, Rovers, Celtic and Newcastle with a little bit of Barcelona in that order) but it does sound strange to many people in England who only grow up with their local team. I have no qualms with Robbie saying it because I'd probably feel the same way.

Its not that dissimilar in Englad to be honest - This supporting your local team is not quite as common as people aay think. You only have to listen to 606 on 5-Live of a Saturday evening to hear as much...