Robbie Keane

[paul_oshea]

It was always going to end that way really once his impact reduced, and it has reduced significantly over the past few years. Being dropped for the game in Glasgow really was the start of the end but that was in 2014, walking away nearly two years later does not make you right I'm afraid! It's idle speculation anyway, O'Neill might have asked him to stay on for all we know, I doubt it though.

Look it was interpreted two ways, that keane would keep showing up regardless of selection or Keane would "walkaway" when he wasn't wanted anymore. Keane was not really selected much, and O'Neill at least gave the impression the last while, over emphasising "having him around the place", as though to placate the "why isn't/is he being selected?" question. Keane weighed up the fact that he was unlikely to feature at all or very little over this campaign and thought coming all that way from LA was too much, especially now with two young kids and that he is probably trying to prolong his time in LA and also the fact he had given 18 years of good service. O'Neill didn't give him much choice as everything appeared to be around what he offered "around the place". But either way he is still scoring in LA at the same rate, and he has retired for Ireland.

Its very debatelable whether Robbie of 2012/13/14 is any different to Robbie of 2015/16

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

It was always going to end that way really once his impact reduced, and it has reduced significantly over the past few years. Being dropped for the game in Glasgow really was the start of the end but that was in 2014, walking away nearly two years later does not make you right I'm afraid! It's idle speculation anyway, O'Neill might have asked him to stay on for all we know, I doubt it though.

I think P.O.S. is right, obviously. I could have sworn he got a call up for Euro 2016.

[OwlsFan]

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.

Not quite the only one, Bill. See the article above Stutts cites: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sp...-28652634.html

"The chasm between their share of the public's acclaim is yawning. True, there is a class issue at work but this can hardly be the crux of the matter".

It is an element like his refusal for a while to lick up to the media (which they didn't like) and comes across in the article Stutts cites.

[tetsujin1979]

Not quite the only one, Bill. See the article above Stutts cites: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sp...-28652634.html

"The chasm between their share of the public's acclaim is yawning. True, there is a class issue at work but this can hardly be the crux of the matter".

It is an element like his refusal for a while to lick up to the media (which they didn't like) and comes across in the article Stutts cites.

just on that, I've been to Dundrum cinema a load of times, most recently for Independence Day about six weeks ago, and I've never seen Brian O'Driscoll there. Actually, the only rugby player I've ever met there was Jamie Heaslip when he was doing a signing session in Lifestyle Sports

[DeLorean]

Look it was interpreted two ways, that keane would keep showing up regardless of selection or Keane would "walkaway" when he wasn't wanted anymore. Keane was not really selected much, and O'Neill at least gave the impression the last while, over emphasising "having him around the place", as though to placate the "why isn't/is he being selected?" question. Keane weighed up the fact that he was unlikely to feature at all or very little over this campaign and thought coming all that way from LA was too much, especially now with two young kids and that he is probably trying to prolong his time in LA and also the fact he had given 18 years of good service. O'Neill didn't give him much choice as everything appeared to be around what he offered "around the place". But either way he is still scoring in LA at the same rate, and he has retired for Ireland.

Its very debatelable whether Robbie of 2012/13/14 is any different to Robbie of 2015/16

I suppose he was willing to accept his reduced contribution up until the point that he wasn't. It's no great mystery really, he might have stuck around if O'Neill really showed him some love but there was no point in making promises he couldn't keep either. Keane is 36 with two young kids and living/working in America... it's been a superhuman effort from him the past two years really for the amount of game time he's got in return.

[DeLorean]

just on that, I've been to Dundrum cinema a load of times, most recently for Independence Day about six weeks ago, and I've never seen Brian O'Driscoll there

He is an awful man for the popcorn though.

[tetsujin1979]

He is an awful man for the popcorn though.

it's the cornerstone of every athlete's diet, or so I'm led to believe.

[DeLorean]

I could have sworn he got a call up for Euro 2016.

What's your point?

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Good article by Ken Early.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/socc...-now-1.2774893

Ken Early: Robbie Keane's Ireland contribution doesn't end now

Given the occasion, Oman were probably the perfect opponents

I would quote the whole article but I don't know what the rules are about posting articles that are normally behind a paywall.

Nice tribute from Crumlin United.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-35012852.html

Crumlin United have brilliant response to LA Galaxy's classy tribute to Robbie Keane

[tetsujin1979]

Irish Times articles aren't behind a paywall, but there is a limit on the number of articles you can view in a week.
There are ways around this..allegedly

[geysir]

Not quite the only one, Bill. See the article above Stutts cites: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sp...-28652634.html

"The chasm between their share of the public's acclaim is yawning. True, there is a class issue at work but this can hardly be the crux of the matter".

It is an element like his refusal for a while to lick up to the media (which they didn't like) and comes across in the article Stutts cites.

And there are very good reasons why Robbie kept to a minimal script in public as well as O'driscoll's global sporting profile is a mere fraction of Robbie's.
Sometimes Robbie attracted dreadful journalistic attempts to come to terms with their own chagrin, but claim they are speaking for millions, this goes for an excruciating article in the IT
from 2013 which lays the blame on Keane for being the cause of the rancour but somehow then Keane managed to mature into a person that the journalist could stoop to tolerate, even respect.

[BonnieShels]

I could feel your pain Bonnie

Thankfully mine was dulled with free whiskey.

just on that, I've been to Dundrum cinema a load of times, most recently for Independence Day about six weeks ago, and I've never seen Brian O'Driscoll there. Actually, the only rugby player I've ever met there was Jamie Heaslip when he was doing a signing session in Lifestyle Sports

When I went to see the Revenant in Liffey Valley in January I met Duffer. I say met but I skulked behind him in ticket queue like a schoolgirl would Niall Horan, petrified for him to notice me noticing him. Sigh.

[tetsujin1979]

When I went to see the Revenant in Liffey Valley in January I met Duffer. I say met but I skulked behind him in ticket queue like a schoolgirl would Niall Horan, petrified for him to notice me noticing him. Sigh.

he was sitting beside me at the Belgium game well, his dad was beside me, he was beside his dad
did the same "oh god notice me/please don't notice me" internal argument for the whole game!

[Stuttgart88]

I got slack on here for interpreting robbies comments a few years ago about walking away when he wasn't wanted, i am not suggesting he is sulking in any way, but I do feel he has done what he said.

Hang on, what are you saying Paul?

I think everyone feels like he has done exactly what he said. The issue is how to interpret what he said all those years ago. What did he mean by “walk away”. Was it (a) once I’m no longer needed I’ll walk away gracefully and accept that all good things come to an end, or (b) if I’m dropped I’ll quit?

Was “walk away” = retire without complaint (i.e., innocuous), was it something controversial, negative and egocentric?

I can’t recall what you said back then Paul but I’m sure if you got slack it was for taking the (b) interpretation. Now you’re saying I told you so, whilst also saying you’re not saying you think it’s (b). That doesn’t really make sense.

Richard Dunne used the words “walk away” to be completely interchangeable with “retire” without any controversy, I think Keane should be allowed the same benefit. Especially at 36 years old, increasingly peripheral and living in Los Angeles. As DeLorean said, he was first dropped 22 months ago and he kept turning up.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

I think Keane was relatively assured of a place in the squad for Euro 2016 so he wanted to go out on a high having played at another Intl tournament, in which he made two appearances.

I think the writing is on the wall that he if he stayed on he is going to participate less and less, and is unlikely to make the World Cup squad.

I don't know what Dunne's body language was when he said that, but the way Keane said it was as if someone had got his back up and was very much said in a defensive tone.

[geysir]

Hang on, what are you saying Paul?

I think everyone feels like he has done exactly what he said. The issue is how to interpret what he said all those years ago. What did he mean by “walk away”. Was it (a) once I’m no longer needed I’ll walk away gracefully and accept that all good things come to an end, or (b) if I’m dropped I’ll quit?

Was “walk away” = retire without complaint (i.e., innocuous), was it something controversial, negative and egocentric?

I can’t recall what you said back then Paul but I’m sure if you got slack it was for taking the (b) interpretation. Now you’re saying I told you so, whilst also saying you’re not saying you think it’s (b). That doesn’t really make sense.

Richard Dunne used the words “walk away” to be completely interchangeable with “retire” without any controversy, I think Keane should be allowed the same benefit. Especially at 36 years old, increasingly peripheral and living in Los Angeles. As DeLorean said, he was first dropped 22 months ago and he kept turning up.

That quote from Robbie is from 5 years ago when he was in some space after Celtic (west ham?)

"I have not really worried or thought about my position with the Ireland team, 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,"

And in the 5 years that followed Robbie has demonstrated beyond any doubt what he meant at the time.

In Nov 2013
"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."

We can take it that Robbie's legs have finally gone.

[Stuttgart88]

He touched the ball once vs Sweden in over 20 minutes, and it was in our half. He barely touched it against Belgium too. He is not stupid, he must have known after those games he couldn't contribute any more at this level. You can say he's second guessing MON thinking the same thing, but I think he deserves credit. He knew it was time so retired. We wouldn't be discussing this only for the more hysterical amongst us taking a partisan view of what he said 5 years ago, and one of them bringing the point up again, saying I told you he'd do what I said he's not now doing but kind of doing, at the same time.

[Charlie Darwin]

If Robbie came out tomorrow and said he's changed his mind and is available for the campaign, I'd be pleased. For all the strikers coming through, I think he has a role. I think that says a lot about either a) how much he still has to offer, or b) my mental health. Fingers crossed it's a).

[SkStu]

If Robbie came out tomorrow and said he's changed his mind and is available for the campaign, I'd be pleased. For all the strikers coming through, I think he has a role. I think that says a lot about either a) how much he still has to offer, or b) my mental health. Fingers crossed it's a).

Talking to yourself is the first sign of madness Charlie.

Actually his goal against Israel has to be well up there.

Given FFS...

[Charlie Darwin]

Talking to yourself is the first sign of madness Charlie.

No, supporting Rovers the last five years is. The talking to myself is a more recent innovation.