Robbie Keane on Late Late Show Tonight

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Originally Posted by lionelhutz

I used to be very sceptical when I heard people say Keane needs a tall, intelligent link man up front who he can work off.

But after seeing him beautifully reading berbatov's flick on last night and numerous times this season (2 against liverpool) and burying the chances, maybe there is very good reasoning behind this theory.

The problem is Doyle isnt this type of player and neither are any of the rest of our strikers. So where are we going to get a berbatov or quinn??

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As someone who was at the Spurs match last night, I think you're absolutely correct, LH.

Although I'm undoubtedly biased, I happen to believe that Keane is one of the ROI's top three players in terms of pure class (with Given and Duff, when fit). Moreover, as the team's main goalscorer, Keane carries arguably the most important role of anyone.

Therefore, unless you think Doyle is a better player/goalcorer (v.hard to argue, imo), then the key is getting the best out of Keane. And that doesn't necessarily mean you need a player of the class of Berbatov, or even Quinn (I assume you mean Big Niall), welcome though that might be. Rather it means getting the right type of player to play alongside Keane.

The best model I can think of is with NI when Sanchez took over. Our overriding priority was the need to score goals. Sanchez immediately realised that our only likely source was Healy. However, he also appreciated that Healy couldn't do it all on his own, in a defensive set-up, like McIlroy demanded.

So he immediately set out to find Healy a suitable partner, playing in an attacking formation. First choice was the promising Andy Smith. When Smith (and one or two others) ultimately proved woefully inadequate, he finally settled on James Quinn of Peterborough Utd. (This was despite Sanchez's stated policy of concentrating on younger players where possible)

Now in club terms, you would call JQ a journeyman (if that weren't unfair to journeymen!), but he's as strong as an ox, with a heart to match and will do whatever he can for the team. Consequently, with JQ battering defenders in every match he played, this created the space for Healy to flourish, with instant success. And when Quinn's legs finally went (he's in his 30's), Sanchez fast-tracked the next best hope, teenager Kyle Lafferty of Burnley - again with virtually instant success (even though it was really a couple of years earlier than anyone might have hoped).

Therefore the moral is, you need a manager with a clear idea of what he wants and how to get it and who will stick by it. And if this means overlooking some of his "best" players, for "lesser" players who have a better attitude and provide more to the team, then so be it. As such, however frustrating Keane might have appeared to ROI fans in recent years, I don't think you can question his desire to play for his country any more than you can his ability.

Consequently, from my limited observation of the ROI team, I don't think the problem is Keane's ability, position or attitude. Nor is it that you don't have anyone who couldn't do a decent job alongside him (my choice would be Alan Lee, or even Gary Docherty - on a bad day, better than Quinn ever was!). The problem is/was your manager (imo).

Sort that out and you'll immediately see an improvement in Keane, with the rest of the team following, imo.

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Originally Posted by EalingGreen

Therefore the moral is, you need a manager with a clear idea of what he wants and how to get it and who will stick by it. And if this means overlooking some of his "best" players, for "lesser" players who have a better attitude and provide more to the team, then so be it.

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We already got that Manager - in 1986.

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Originally Posted by EalingGreen

As someone who was at the Spurs match last night, I think you're absolutely correct, LH.

Although I'm undoubtedly biased, I happen to believe that Keane is one of the ROI's top three players in terms of pure class (with Given and Duff, when fit). Moreover, as the team's main goalscorer, Keane carries arguably the most important role of anyone.

Therefore, unless you think Doyle is a better player/goalcorer (v.hard to argue, imo), then the key is getting the best out of Keane. And that doesn't necessarily mean you need a player of the class of Berbatov, or even Quinn (I assume you mean Big Niall), welcome though that might be. Rather it means getting the right type of player to play alongside Keane.

The best model I can think of is with NI when Sanchez took over. Our overriding priority was the need to score goals. Sanchez immediately realised that our only likely source was Healy. However, he also appreciated that Healy couldn't do it all on his own, in a defensive set-up, like McIlroy demanded.

So he immediately set out to find Healy a suitable partner, playing in an attacking formation. First choice was the promising Andy Smith. When Smith (and one or two others) ultimately proved woefully inadequate, he finally settled on James Quinn of Peterborough Utd. (This was despite Sanchez's stated policy of concentrating on younger players where possible)

Now in club terms, you would call JQ a journeyman (if that weren't unfair to journeymen!), but he's as strong as an ox, with a heart to match and will do whatever he can for the team. Consequently, with JQ battering defenders in every match he played, this created the space for Healy to flourish, with instant success. And when Quinn's legs finally went (he's in his 30's), Sanchez fast-tracked the next best hope, teenager Kyle Lafferty of Burnley - again with virtually instant success (even though it was really a couple of years earlier than anyone might have hoped).

Therefore the moral is, you need a manager with a clear idea of what he wants and how to get it and who will stick by it. And if this means overlooking some of his "best" players, for "lesser" players who have a better attitude and provide more to the team, then so be it. As such, however frustrating Keane might have appeared to ROI fans in recent years, I don't think you can question his desire to play for his country any more than you can his ability.

Consequently, from my limited observation of the ROI team, I don't think the problem is Keane's ability, position or attitude. Nor is it that you don't have anyone who couldn't do a decent job alongside him (my choice would be Alan Lee, or even Gary Docherty - on a bad day, better than Quinn ever was!). The problem is/was your manager (imo).

Sort that out and you'll immediately see an improvement in Keane, with the rest of the team following, imo.

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Fair play Ealing Green top post in my opinion but dont agree with your view on Quinn, a very underated player who brought out the best in players Uwe Rosler, Kevin Phillips and Robbie Keane are prime examples.

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Originally Posted by Wolfie

We already got that Manager - in 1986.

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Indeed. In fact, when I was posting that, I actually had Big Jack in mind, particularly with regard to his apparent mistrust of Brady and O'Leary, players who in terms of pure ability, were amongst the finest available to any Irish manager.

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Originally Posted by paul_oshea

ya gary doherty also brought something different to the table stutts!!

Most notably his 2 left feet!

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still managed to score some vital late goals for us that turned draws into wins

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Originally Posted by EalingGreen

Indeed. In fact, when I was posting that, I actually had Big Jack in mind, particularly with regard to his apparent mistrust of Brady and O'Leary, players who in terms of pure ability, were amongst the finest available to any Irish manager.

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Charlton's success was introducing a simple and innovative game plan (it was innovative, though not pretty, during those early campaigns. Some teams just couldn't cope with the "tactics"). Everyone on the pitch knew exactly what was expected of them and what they had to do.

As Eamon Dunphy put it "In the past, Ireland had always produced talented players but not always players that made the difference".

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Originally Posted by NeilMcD

Fair play Ealing Green top post in my opinion but dont agree with your view on Quinn, a very underated player who brought out the best in players Uwe Rosler, Kevin Phillips and Robbie Keane are prime examples.

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Sorry, I meant that Gary Docherty was/is a better player than James Quinn. It's just I meant that Niall Quinn was not so talented as Berbatov, who I'm sure could be one of the top three strikers in Europe, had he only a decent team to play in :(

Re. Niall Quinn, despite his having started out as a Gooner, I always admired him - and not just for his effort, intelligence and attitude. Imo, like Peter Crouch these days, his physique caused people to underestimate his ability on the ball

According to the commentator last night Keane has scored 25 goals in his last 32 games for Spurs, I think.

Yeah very good record at that level in my view. He is on a great run of form for his club. The new manager and him reallly need to sit down and work out how we can get the best from him. Hopefully it will be an international manager with maturity and experience and not a fool who just says, do what you do for your Club Robbie and here is the armband too cause you are a great singer to get teh lads going.

I too am convinced that keane needs a target man , i think that stripped of his captaincy with the target man for partner and with doyle and long pushing him for his place we would see a different keane in the green.


this was the honey monsters opinion from YBIG perhaps you lads would have more to add.

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here's what we have in my opinion;

Alan Lee; yes banging in the goals for ipswich but he's had a few chances to do the business for ireland and never seems to cut this level. however considering his form he may prove me wrong.
Conor Sammon; sorry but nowhere near this standard
Darly Murphy; ive seen him play a few times now and i have yet to be particulary impressed and dont believe he's a potential target man
Gary Dohery;

The two main contenders in my opinion;

Caleb Folan; he's a big lad that has the size and presence to be a target man. he didnt do great at wigan but from what i heard he has potential and reckon he should defo be given the opportunity.
Clinton; i know his league form hasnt been great but im a fan of his. his works his ball0x off everytime in the green jersey, has the ability to hold a ball or win a header and most importantly has got a few extremely crucial goals in big games for us

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Funnily enough, Kevin Doyle won every single flick on from Shay's kicks in Stuttgart. It was a big pitch so it was easier to defend against.

I've never rated Robinson but to his credit he has the best ground kick of any keeper I've seen, even better than Paul Kavanagh of UCD and Rovers (joke). I think this is a factor in the number of route one goals Robbie gets at Spurs.

Alan Lee is a slugger who lacks pace but is very game and good in the air. He did actually set up Robbie's winner in a 3-2 friendly win against Czech Rep. As said above, he's never had much chance.

Stephen Ward at Wolves is a big guy but was never really rated that much by Bohs fans I think and plays wide left at Wolves.

Cillian Sheridan, a teenager at Celtic, is a giant of a kid and with real pace too. Injured at the moment so any breakthrough is on hold.

Stokes is a big lad as is Diarmuid O'Carroll at Celtic.

I think Sheridan is the one lad that looks like he could become a genuine target-man for us. Good feet and quite quick aswell. Would love to see him getting a loan move in the near future (maybe to another SPL side?)

We really need a targetman upfront to partner Doyle.