Robbie Keane

I don't think anyone in their right mind would argue the fact he is our best ever striker and/or one of our best ever players.

But I think it's unfortunate that if you critique or analyse him in a way that isn't resounding in its praise you are automatically labelled a "begrudger", a "hater" or a "muppet". It cheapens the debate and closes down dialogue.

And unfortunately this has been the case, largely, since 2012.

You can criticize one player and make a case for other players while remaining tacitly aware of his accomplishments and contributions. The two things are not mutually exclusive.

A list of his 67 goals is on Wikipedia, and a list of his 145 appearances is on Soccer Ireland. 67 goals. Nothing more needs to be said..

Liam Mackey: So long Robbie, and thank you for the memories

I always liked the unique finish @ 2:46 in to make it 3-1 to Coventry. The goal by Davor Suker to make it 3-2 is probably even better though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4fAGZLjVDU

Ken Early was on Second Captains recently talking about the weird ways Keane could contort his body to finish. This goal is a great example of that.

I wonder if he will settle in California permanently.

W

24 hours after Robbie announces retirement, and finally TOWK is a fan.

Who'da thunk it, eh?

Stephen Hunt: When Robbie Keane scored a goal, he almost turned into Cristiano Ronaldo

Family values gets the better of Hunt here but an interesting read all the same. As if anybody would just give away a crucial equaliser away to the world champions, especially knowing that he'd scored. I'm doubt Keane could have given him the goal even if he wanted to.

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Originally Posted by DeLorean

Stephen Hunt: When Robbie Keane scored a goal, he almost turned into Cristiano Ronaldo

Family values gets the better of Hunt here but an interesting read all the same. As if anybody would just give away a crucial equaliser away to the world champions, especially knowing that he'd scored. I'm doubt Keane could have given him the goal even if he wanted to.

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tv pictures clearly showed keane getting the final touch for that Italy goal. hunt usually talks a fair bit of sense but that comment about noel hunt is a bit stupid really.

Yeah that's what I mean, I don't think you can just give your goal to somebody if the evidence proves otherwise. I thought Keane stayed pretty tight lipped about the whole thing anyway while Noel Hunt was making a bit of a fool of himself.

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Originally Posted by DeLorean

Yeah that's what I mean, I don't think you can just give your goal to somebody if the evidence proves otherwise. I thought Keane stayed pretty tight lipped about the whole thing anyway while Noel Hunt was making a bit of a fool of himself.

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yes, Noel Hunt was initially heading off towards our supporters as if he had scored but quickly thought the better of it and instead went to celebrate with Robbie like all the other players.

I met Noel Hunt a couple of years ago and he said 'I knew I scored that goal'. I didn't mention the video evidence.
But he basically was saying Robbie was the golden boy and it wasn't easy to go up against him. That said, he wasn't really giving out about Keane and spoke highly of him too.
I understand what Stephen is saying about Robbie when he scores. I remember him trying to claim Jon Walters' goal against Faroe Islands when he clearly never got a touch. That type of stuff coupled with the arms in the air (which he did more in his early career) meant Robbie would never be as liked as the more humble likes of Brian O'Driscoll or Damien Duff.

https://youtu.be/0m5PZcBoyXg

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Originally Posted by Fixer82

I met Noel Hunt a couple of years ago and he said 'I knew I scored that goal'. I didn't mention the video evidence.

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surely if you thought you had scored against the world champions you would want to have a look at it somewhere to relive the moment?

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Originally Posted by Fixer82

That type of stuff coupled with the arms in the air (which he did more in his early career) meant Robbie would never be as liked as the more humble likes of Brian O'Driscoll or Damien Duff.

https://youtu.be/0m5PZcBoyXg

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"
Not quite a fair comparison. It was easy for Duffer to be humble as he only scored 6. He also fell down a lot more than Robbie so he wasn't without fault. As for "Dricko", it wasn't fashionable for rugby players to celebrate or have arms in the air so it's not comparing like with like.

The hands in the air thing with Robbie was slightly irritating but to put that down as a reason why he wasn't as loved as he should have been by both media and an element among the fans isn't a valid reason. The lack of respect from some elements can be divided between a) his working class roots (the humorous Gift Grub sketches portray him as a criminal because he has a Dublin accent) unlike the poster middle class boy Dricko, b) his many transfers (which earned him a lot of money much resented in the usual Irish way and c) the perceived fact that his goals were often scored against weaker nations and d) his "dream" to play for Liverpool and Celtic (scoffed at but the dream of many Irish kids unless you follow Raith Rovers and Sheffield Wednesday).

Of course all those things are irrelevant and ignore his total dedication to the Irish cause, the goals scored against top sides (it wouldn't matter to me even if he scored only against weaker sides because someone needed to do that), the 100+ Premier League goals and his record number of goals for us. He is/was our Gerd Muller in terms of his clinical finishing and in Ireland we are unlikely to see his like again before the earth compusts.

Thanks for the memories Robbie. That one in particular against Germany shall never be forgotten.

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Originally Posted by Fixer82

I met Noel Hunt a couple of years ago and he said 'I knew I scored that goal'. I didn't mention the video evidence.
But he basically was saying Robbie was the golden boy and it wasn't easy to go up against him. That said, he wasn't really giving out about Keane and spoke highly of him too.
I understand what Stephen is saying about Robbie when he scores. I remember him trying to claim Jon Walters' goal against Faroe Islands when he clearly never got a touch. That type of stuff coupled with the arms in the air (which he did more in his early career) meant Robbie would never be as liked as the more humble likes of Brian O'Driscoll or Damien Duff.

https://youtu.be/0m5PZcBoyXg

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Humble is never a word I'd associate with Brian O'Driscoll.

Goals count against all teams. (consistent) goals against first and second teams are often the difference between qualifying and not qualifying though. Then again, come Moldova or Georgia we might long for the days Keane got us out of a jam against such tricky teams. But in fairness, McGeady, Long, Fahey, Brady and Walters have all chipped in with vital goals in recent campaigns.

O'Driscoll is very likeable. He's the kind of guy you would like to hang around with. And this is coming from someone who just assumed he was a [bad word].

I don't buy the working class thing with Robbie. Honestly, most hardcore soccer fans are working class so i really don't think that's part of it.
Irish people naturally don't like show offs. Robbie was a show off. That's why he scored so many goals and played the way he did.
Duffer did amazing things with the ball but off the pitch was shy and retiring. Irish people prefer a Duffer to a Keano. I'm not saying this is necessarily right but I think it's the truth.

By the way, I know I mentioned it in the goals thread but that strike V Holland in a friendly was a sensational goal.

On OTB right now!

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Originally Posted by Fixer82

I don't buy the working class thing with Robbie. Honestly, most hardcore soccer fans are working class so i really don't think that's part of it.
Irish people naturally don't like show offs. Robbie was a show off. That's why he scored so many goals and played the way he did.
Duffer did amazing things with the ball but off the pitch was shy and retiring. Irish people prefer a Duffer to a Keano. I'm not saying this is necessarily right but I think it's the truth.

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Only owlsfan brings that up.......never seen anyone else go on about it. Silly stuff.
I am not fan of keano, as he is a bit dim, but what footballer isnt i guess.

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Originally Posted by Fixer82

I don't buy the working class thing with Robbie. Honestly, most hardcore soccer fans are working class so i really don't think that's part of it.
Irish people naturally don't like show offs. Robbie was a show off. That's why he scored so many goals and played the way he did.
Duffer did amazing things with the ball but off the pitch was shy and retiring. Irish people prefer a Duffer to a Keano. I'm not saying this is necessarily right but I think it's the truth.

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Yeah, but most casual fans aren't.

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Originally Posted by bennocelt

Only owlsfan brings that up.......never seen anyone else go on about it. Silly stuff.
I am not fan of keano, as he is a bit dim, but what footballer isnt i guess.

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Why is he portrayed on Gift Grub as a criminal if it was irrelevant ? Why not portray O'Driscoll as a criminal?