Robbie appeared on Sky Sports' 'Goals on Sunday' this morn:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YXp86pyycs
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Robbie appeared on Sky Sports' 'Goals on Sunday' this morn:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YXp86pyycs
Is that a corset or a bullet-proof vest he's wearing over his plaid shirt?Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyInvincible
Keane: Me left Liverpool too soon.
http://www.koptalk.co.uk/20131124735...-too-soon.html
First time i've heard Robbie really speak his mind. He usually says nothing of any interest or controversial but he had a bit of a go at Benitez there. Delighted to see. Not a Liverpool fan but reckon Robbie wasn't treated very well by Benitez. Don't think Benitez ever wanted him there
I wouldn't blame Benitez for being p!ssed of with the owners forcing Robbie on him. After that though, Rafa's ego got in the way of the possibility of Keane being a success there. After his amazing goal against Arsenal and brace at home to Bolton he was dropped to the bench. It was as if Rafa was afraid the owners were being proved right. Fair enough the preferred system that season was playing Gerrard off of Torres but it would still have been worth holding on to Keane as N'Gog was the only back up for Torres. I don't think it's too far of a stretch to say that selling/refusing to play Keane quite possibly cost Liverpool the league.
Yes, probably for his trips to play Baltimore Ravens.Quote:
Originally Posted by SkStu
Robbie having surgery:
http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/articl...lans-take-exteQuote:
Robbie Keane's ailing Achilles' tendons will go under the knife Wednesday as the Irish striker looks to complete some needed maintenance in his first extended offseason in years.
The LA Galaxy captain, a finalist for MLS' Most Valuable Player award, is in London for the surgeries, he told local media during a conference call on Tuesday morning.
“I've got to get some procedures done tomorrow on the Achilles problem,” said Keane, who has dealt with the problem for several years and this year missed assorted games because of it. “I'll get that done, and then it's rest and a lot of rehab, so that's mainly what I'll be doing [during the offseason].”
Keane led the Galaxy with 16 goals and 11 assists in just 23 MLS regular-season games -- he scored 20 goals in all first-team action -- and LA were a far different team when he was on the field (12-4-7, with 44-19 goals for/against) than when he wasn't (3-7-1, 9-19).
“You get nothing for nothing in this life. You have to earn it,” Keane said. “To be honest with you, this year we didn't deserve it. We were too kind of inconsistent. We didn't deserve it this year, so sometimes you just have to hold your hand up and just accept it.”
The Galaxy's loss to Real Salt Lake in the Western Conference Semifinals, a month before the Dec. 7 title game, provided a lengthy break that Keane acknowledged would be helpful.
“[The tendons have] been bothering me for a long time, and this is an opportunity to get it done,” he said following the decisive second-leg loss in Utah. “It will be nice to have an extended break, but not too long.”
I can only imagine the talk of him returning to the EPL will take a hit over this.
Old ground, but it was Rick Parry's involvement in this one, not the owners. The dropping of key offensive players was part of a system Benitez used, but if you're looking for the straw that broke the camels back moment, it was the fluffed opportunity away to Atletico in the CL that made Benitez go crazy by all accounts. Cost Liverpool 3 points and meant he couldn't play a weakened team in the remaining CL match.Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
You're wrong about Robbie being sold costing Liverpool the league. They were excellent after the transfer window. Robbie played in the matches against fulham, everton, spurs, west ham, coming on away to Wigan, where Liverpool dropped points.
So no.
I'm a self-confessed fanboy of Benitez, and while he made plenty of mistakes that season, Robbie wasn't one of them. Gerrard-Torres was unplayable for most of that season. It was on the flanks where there was trouble, not up top.
I hate the term "up top"! Everyone's using it now. It sounds OK if you're a north of England hick.
I also hate that the term "match up" is commonly accepted now. We heard a guy use the term in USA 94 and we nearly wet ourselves laughing.
I said a combination of Rafa selling/refusing to play Keane possibly cost Liverpool the league. Keane saw no game time in a 0-0 draw at Stoke, even though Torres didn't start the match. They drew 2-2 at home to Hull with Torres out injured and Keane wasn't even brought on (even though they trailed 0-2 at one point). They also drew 1-1 at home to City shortly after Keane leaving and lost 2-0 at the Riverside with Torres, again, out injured. I'm sure there are another couple of examples but the worst bit was dropping him completely when he hit a mini purple patch. It obviously did nothing for his confidence even when he was recalled. There's no way of knowing if Keane would have made a difference in these games but Liverpool only lost the league by a small margin that season. It's at the very least a possibility he could have turned a couple of draws into wins so I'm not sure how I can be deemed factually "wrong".Quote:
Originally Posted by Kingdom
Just think of the little, yet massive, contribution Federico Macheda made for United the same season. He turned two points into six with consecutive winners against Villa and Sunderland... United won the title by four points.
Robbie's on the Late Late Toy Show, came out on crutches to surprise one of his young fans. Legend.
He must have got the work done in dublin.
He was tripped over one of the toys and started waving his hands,and then as he left THR floor he spat on the ground.
What arse? She's so skinny she barely even has one.
He went under the knife in London last Wednesday. The whole event was documented here in spectacular fashion: http://balls.ie/football/pictures-ro...ne-goes-knife/Quote:
Originally Posted by paul_oshea
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BaFeMf4CcAAsGck.jpg
That was amazing. I wish I was still as enraptured by footballers as that kid.
Footage of Domhnall meeting his hero:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBV39a2oFuA
She's slightly hungover this afternoon, but his reaction brought a tear to my girlfriend's eye when we watched the clip and she's not even Irish.
I hope she is from Brazil or Spain or Argentina or even German.
If so impregnate her quick and get the passport sorted.
She's northern Irish? :) :p
Was at most games that season and a blind man could see he wasn't at the races. A lot if not the majority of the games you wouldn't have thought he was on the pitch. A pity because i was so excited when he signed. Wasn't to be. These things happen.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kingdom
Robbie's doing his badges: http://extratime.ie/newsdesk/article...icence-course/
N'Gog a far better option alright.Quote:
Originally Posted by KK77
I preferred Gerrard myself but i suppose that’s the beauty of forums and the differing opnions.Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
As a back up I meant.
I didn't want to take the Shane Long thread back off topic so I'll post this here.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks
Robbie Keane's importance to the Irish team doesn't compare to Klose's importance to Germany? His 62 goals for us doesn't compare to Klose's 68 goals for a footballing powerhouse who routinely blow away second and third seeds and invariably cruise through qualifying?
Maybe you should have checked out the list of Klose's international goals as well as Robbie's. The last 'top class' sides Klose scored against competitively were in 2010, one being Argentina and feel free if you want to include England and Belgium, but it might be stretching it. Other decent/top sides he scored against previously would include Portugal and Turkey. Other than that I think you'll struggle to back up your argument and it's certainly no better, if it's even as good, as Keane's goals against Yugoslavia, Holland, Turkey, Germany, Spain, Italy and France.
Plus your facts are extremely questionable, to put it nicely. Klose has been playing for a distinctly average Lazio side in one of the worst Serie A leagues that I can remember. Playing for one of the biggest teams in the world, he is not.
He was playing for one of the biggest teams in the world before that though, Bayern Munich, when (wiki informs me) he scored 24 goals in 98 games. Again, the Bundesliga wasn't exactly in it's pomp during this time. Keane's record at Spurs is very very "comparable" to anything Klose has done at club level, when in one of his final seasons he scored against the 'Big 4' of Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal & Liverpool. Of course, he would have still been deemed incapable of scoring against middle to higher ranked international teams.
Ah here come on.Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
Klose scored 4 goals against Sweden, Austria and us in 2014 qualifying and 4 goals against Belgium, Turkey and Austria in 2012 qualifying. That's more than twice as many goals against top International teams in competitive matches as Keane has in 12 years.
Klose has 12 goals in International competition.
He is regularly one of Germany's best players in International competition.
He isn't just some big lump of sh*te who gets on the end of things. He actually looks like he belongs on the pitch with players like Schneider, Ballack, Ozil and Podolski.
Lazio are at the same level now that Spurs were at when Keane was at his pomp and Klose is 35 years old. Keane moved to LA Galaxy when he was 30! Robbie Keane's teammates include Robbie Rogers. Klose's teammates include technically gifted players like Ederson, Ledesma, Hernanes and Biglia. Keane has flopped at Inter & Liverpool. Klose has regularly competed in the Champions League and won League titles with Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich.
I have not belittled Keane's club or International accomplishments at all. He has had a very respectable career in club football and has an International goalscoring record that will never be matched or bettered by an Irish footballer.
But let's call a spade a spade. His career does not match up to Klose. He has scored the vast majority of his competitive International goals against poor sides. His competitive goalscoring record against big International teams is very poor and frankly, his performances against them have been embarrassing lately.
I'm not stupid. His ability to nick goals against teams like Kazakhstan and Faroe Islands is important (I'm not being cheeky when I say that by the way). I just don't see how a 34 year old LA Galaxy player with his record against big teams can possibly justify having his place in the side being guaranteed. Because let's face it, as soon as he is rotated, he will retire (as he has implied himself).
Robbie has spent the vast majority of his international career playing for a mediocre side. Klose has spent the vast majority of his career playing for a team that strolls through qualification and is usually good for at least a semifinal. The fact that they have comparable records is extraordinary.
I think Klose went through some long barren spells at club football and was probably a better player for Germany than at any of his clubs. Good player, but not up there with the best despite his international stats.
Keane hasn't said as soon as he is rotated he'll retire. He said that when he is no longer picked he'll walk away (i.e., when he isn't in squads anymore he'll accept it without a fuss).That's different. Only a real cynic would say that by "walk away" he means he'll quit on his own terms just to make a point, especially if only being "rotated".
Well said Stutts.
Robbie says he'll play until he's not selected any longer AND someone replaces him - was turned into .. ( for cynics and fools)... Robbie vows to to quit unless he's selected.
Really, geysir?Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
Yes, Robbie was quoted as saying something like "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."
Which was taken out of context as meaning he would just walk away if dropped.
He later clarified that statement though,
“Listen, I want to play as long as I can.
“But I’m not daft. I’m 33 years of age, so next time the Euros come around...
“Ultimately it’s the manager’s choice. All I can do is keep playing well and keep scoring goals and if he sees that I can continue doing that, then there’s no problem.
“But I don’t have any problems with people making decisions. If anybody feels that I can help them now until the Euros and there’s a situation coming around to the Euros where for some reason my legs are gone, then I’ll pack it in.”
Again it's open to interpretation, but I remember watching the interview and it was pretty clear that he meant he had no problem being a squad player if the manager still thought he could do a job whether it be for 10 minutes or 90.
Hmm..... why did you select the fool option?Quote:
Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks
You could have selected the cynic option :)
Cynics read the most negative interpretation of a recorded quote and a fool just doesn't bother too much but just accepts the headline.
I don't take you for a fool.
Two Champions League goals for Liverpool. He's on a par with Borini and Carroll alright.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks
So in short he is a good international, but not even close to Klose?
On the other hand it's gonna be a little easier scoring for Germany than Ireland.
It's a little easier scoring goals against Faroe Islands, Andorra and Macedonia than scoring goals against Argentina, Portugal, Engand, Turkey.....Quote:
Originally Posted by tricky_colour
If Robbie Keane's goalscoring record against top seeds was up to snuff, then maybe we would have qualified for more tournaments between 2002 and 2012. There was a period in time where Clinton Morrison would be more likely to score against a direct rival.
Trapattoni made a lot of questionable decisions during his reign but I'll give him this; he got the best of Keane.
Frequently as a lone target man? I don't think so.
Keane's comments, in their entirety, are perfectly reasonable. Ireland should be looking to better use younger options, just like the management should have been doing for a variety of positions over the last few years.
Despite him having scored against, Russia, Germany, Spain, Czech Republic, Holland, Croatia, Italy, France in that ten year window you picked out ?Quote:
Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks
To compare Klose to Keane you would have to adjust for the the strength of the team in which they play and the opposition of course.
Not an easy thing to do really, how many international goals would Keane have if he were German?? (now don't say none!! :D).
Or perhaps how many international goals could Klose have if he were Irish? (None cos he would not make the team!! :))
If you compare robbie top league scoring record with Klose's they are very similar, about 0.5 goals a game,
it not that easy to compare, I excluded Robbies Galaxy games, but then you have the relative strength of the
leagues and teams issues.
http://uk.soccerway.com/players/robbie-keane/2949/
http://uk.soccerway.com/players/miroslav-klose/40/
But both top class goalscorers.
He's scored competitive goals from open play against Italy, France and Sweden since the 2002 World Cup. Klose scored goals against top/second seed standard teams 8 times over the last two qualifying campaigns.Quote:
Originally Posted by CraftyToePoke
Every goal counts but I wouldn't be starting Keane against direct rivals on the basis of how he performs against them which has been by and large, pretty poorly. We have to get with the times and make the switch to a 5 man midfield for those matches and Keane can not perform with that function.
We have even seen over the last few games how a switch in formation made Whelan look like a better player. This is someone - for all the talk about how Hoolahan and Reid could not play in a 4 man midfield - was responsible for helping us concede several important goals in qualification games by giving away the ball in stupid positions or failing to track players; fundamental stuff. It's not like he possesses any creative streak, goalscoring threat or even passes the half-way line, so the basics of tracking players runs and providing a half-decent screen for the defence is the least he can do! Mini rant about Whelan over
I would still start Keane against the bottom seed teams and spring him off the bench against the big teams when we are chasing a goal though.
We don't know how Keane would react in such circumstances though? Team player or retirement?