Originally Posted by
Kingdom
I've searched back two pages, and the best can be said is that it's drivel. My complaint was that a rusty Robbie, the wrong side of thirty going a season without football would not be good for Ireland. He was off kilter against Slovakia (not taking into account the penalty). That could have been an off-day or the start of a greater malaise. He got a move, a good move for him, and a good move for Ireland, and he's scored already. That should keep him in good stead for the remainder of the campaign.
What does my head in here in the past while, is that debating the pro's and cons of a players situation and how it relates to the National team, opinions seems to be going to extremes and regular discussion breaks down.
It's very simple for me. Robbie Keane, playing regularily at club level, is an automatic pick for the National team, due to in part his great record with us (and it is a great record) but also because he won't lose any of his best facets as he gets older. He was never lightening fast, always tricky. And he always does well with a big barging centre forward*.
But, and it's a massive but, if he isn't playing regularily, and he hasn't been the past while, then his place comes under threat in the team,as it should (as every other position and player should), as it is a vital position. The threat intensifies when a player such as Shane Long starts to become more prominent and starts scoring freely. That is natural and that is right. I can understand pointing to Robbie's stats when he is playing regular football as an indicator as to why he's an auto pick, but to point to his stats when he isn't playing and hasn't been playing football for 9 months is about as relevant as pointing out Aldo's stats for Ireland.
Hopefully Robbie's move will put this debate to bed for now.
*Kevin Doyle has played that role tremendously well for us, and does not get half the credit he deserves for it. People point to his lack of goalscoring but that is very unfair. Doyler has scored good goals for us, and in his aerial ability is a commodity that we as a team are lacking in. Until Walters or Best start showing that they have what it takes to displace him on a regular basis then he's a sticky for me. A very undervalued player in my opinion