Robbie Keane

**Charlie Darwin** · 18/05/2011, 12:16 PM

I'd say he was dropped because West Ham have a handful of really good strikers yet were still losing games. He's been fit for about 8 games and started 4 or 5 of them, coming off the bench in the rest. He's looked decent anytime I've seen him play for them, his open goal miss notwithstanding.

Originally Posted by Crosby87

You mean if he decides he will play somewhere other than London and take less money?

Ha, that's what I was getting at yeah. I mean that when push comes to shove I think he's more likely to relocate in England than to go to MLS or Abu Dhabi.

**an_ceannaire** · 18/05/2011, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

There are about 14 Premier League clubs at any given time that would give an arm for Robbie's services. The only issues are his wage demands and not wanting to leave London, both of which can be worked around.

Good god man your delusional!!!!

**gustavo** · 18/05/2011, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by an_ceannaire

Good god man your delusional!!!!

His delusional what ?

I think it's absurd to think that Robbie won't be able to get a Premiership club. I imagine his wage demands won't be too high as he needs a clean break and I can see a number of clubs being interested in his services.

**an_ceannaire** · 18/05/2011, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by SwanVsDalton

He played, scored, got injured and then was rotated in a team which had 4-5 strikers. He was as much a victim of a dreadful team in terrible form and a manager's selection indecision as anything else - albeit his dreadful miss didn't help matters. Either way a striker struggling in that dross team isn't particularly surprising.

I don't think it's a question of fight so much as Robbie accepting he can't dictate the terms any more - if he accepts that he could go to any number of Premiership clubs and succeed.

Fulham, Wolves, Blackburn, Birmingham, Stoke, maybe even Everton or Villa would be interested if the price was right. Not top teams but hardly time to put out to pasture and get a big US/Middle East pay day. He's only 31 and this isn't Logan's Run.

I admire your loyalty to him but its clouding your judgement. Everton/Villa wouldnt touch him with a barge pole. Villa have Darren Bent. Everton are after Shane Long and Gary Hooper. RK isnt even on their pretend list!
Fulham have Dempsey Zamora and AJ so he wouldnt get a game. Wolves are a definite possibility.

**an_ceannaire** · 18/05/2011, 12:47 PM

If RK was Scottish/Welsh and we were having this discussion on the General Forum...do any of you seriously think Darwin would be making those same points!!
Shane Long, Craig Bellamy, Gary Hooper. These are the strikers the lower Prem clubs will be looking at.
The only Prem club I can see RK at next year is Wolves. And if he was anything other than Irish, ye would all agree.

**SwanVsDalton** · 18/05/2011, 12:56 PM

Originally Posted by an_ceannaire

I admire your loyalty to him but its clouding your judgement. Everton/Villa wouldnt touch him with a barge pole. Villa have Darren Bent. Everton are after Shane Long and Gary Hooper. RK isnt even on their pretend list!
Fulham have Dempsey Zamora and AJ so he wouldnt get a game. Wolves are a definite possibility.

So are you saying Fulham wouldn't be interested because they have an attacking midfielder, a stop-start on-off striker and another striker who has scored the grand total of 27 league goals in 124 appearances in the last five seasons?

And you are also saying Gary Hooper is going to more highly desired than Robbie (46 international goals, joint 10th all-time Premiership goalscorer, not than anyone should need the reminder...)? I think you'd need to watch who you're accusing of delusion here...

Everton have no money - if the price is right he could be a cheap option. But regardless if you accept Wolves, why can't you accept Stoke, Birmingham (if they stay up), Newcastle, QPR, Blackburn, Bolton, Norwich etc? This is all assuming he's affordable and willing - if he is, I don't think there's any reason why one or more of these clubs wouldn't be interested.

It has nothing to do with his Irishness. His record speaks for itself. I have no qualms, for instance, saying he's on his last lives (for Prem football) but saying he's only good for the Championship or, God forbid, the MLS is well off imo.

**an_ceannaire** · 18/05/2011, 1:15 PM

what do u think is his best possible move? Everton? How the mighty have fallen if thats all he can hope for!!!

Gary Hooper is an England U21 and has consistently scored goals wherever he has been
Robbie is a HAS BEEN

If you asked any fans of any of the clubs you mentioned which player they would prefer....i can guarantee you....it wouldnt be Robbie!

**SwanVsDalton** · 18/05/2011, 1:39 PM

Originally Posted by an_ceannaire

what do u think is his best possible move? Everton? How the mighty have fallen if thats all he can hope for!!!

Gary Hooper is an England U21 and has consistently scored goals wherever he has been
Robbie is a HAS BEEN

If you asked any fans of any of the clubs you mentioned which player they would prefer....i can guarantee you....it wouldnt be Robbie!

What's wrong with Everton? Not Barcelona enough for you?

Hooper's never played for England at any level. He's only scored goals for Scunthorpe and Celtic. Which is fine - except you're comparing him to a 31-year-old who's got more Premiership and international goals than Hooper scored in his wildest childhood Roy-Of-The-Rovers fantasies...

**an_ceannaire** · 18/05/2011, 1:54 PM

Everton are nothing but Liverpools Noisy Neighbours!
Some come down for a lad who played for the Reds no!?

Robbie WAS great, i wouldnt deny that for a second. He was class. He still could be. But he just couldnt be arsed.
Thats why he annoys me so much. He still COULD be class, but the man couldnt be arsed and is afraid of his moth!
Classic premiership footballer.
Money made, happpy out.

**boovidge** · 18/05/2011, 2:13 PM

Originally Posted by an_ceannaire

Everton are nothing but Liverpools Noisy Neighbours!
Some come down for a lad who played for the Reds no!?

Robbie WAS great, i wouldnt deny that for a second. He was class. He still could be. But he just couldnt be arsed.
Thats why he annoys me so much. He still COULD be class, but the man couldnt be arsed and is afraid of his moth!
Classic premiership footballer.
Money made, happpy out.

Anyone with a small amount of knowledge on Keane's career knows that he's never been content with sitting on the bench collecting his pay cheque. Why was he so desperate to leave Liverpool or to go on loan moves to Celtic and West Ham when it wasn't working out as Spurs?

**Charlie Darwin** · 18/05/2011, 2:13 PM

People confuse lack of form/confidence with lack of effort. Having seen Robbie in most of his games for West Ham, he's clearly willing but it's not happening for him. He gets into really good positions to receive the ball outside the box but his role doesn't seem to be in the box as it is for Ireland.

**DannyInvincible** · 18/05/2011, 2:48 PM

Originally Posted by an_ceannaire

Gary Hooper is an England U21 and has consistently scored goals wherever he has been
Robbie is a HAS BEEN

Robbie was banging them in for fun at Hooper's current club only last season; 12 goals in 16 league games, SPL Player of the Month for March and Celtic Fans' Player of the Season despite having only been there for half of it.

I think you're stirring. You're the Kevin Myers of the forum.

Originally Posted by SwanVsDalton

Hooper's never played for England at any level. He's only scored goals for Scunthorpe and Celtic.

Aren't you forgetting about his Grays Athletic days; 20 goals in 69 league games. They play in the Isthmian League Division One North, you know?

**John83** · 18/05/2011, 3:23 PM

Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

You're the Kevin Myers of the forum.

Kevin Myers gets paid to be that obnoxious.

**an_ceannaire** · 18/05/2011, 3:25 PM

Ye love me really

Place would be boring without me!!!

**rebelmusic** · 18/05/2011, 3:58 PM

I know he'd never move there but Robbie needs to go to a manager like Hodgson who has a strong record of rejuvenating the careers of older players. I truly believe Duff's turn around in the last 2 years i largely due to Woy.

**mark12345** · 18/05/2011, 5:10 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

People confuse lack of form/confidence with lack of effort. Having seen Robbie in most of his games for West Ham, he's clearly willing but it's not happening for him. He gets into really good positions to receive the ball outside the box but his role doesn't seem to be in the box as it is for Ireland.

"He gets into really good positions to receive the ball outside the box but his role doesn't seem to be in the box as it is for Ireland."

I've been saying this for the last two or three years. Robbie's best football is played outside the box. How many times have we seen him running from just past halfway (in a Tottenham shirt) at defenders and doing a quick one-two to set up a chance or score? Robbie is a great attacking midfielder. Problem is people expect him to score goals and that side of his game has diminished somewhat. I just wish Trap would play him as an attacking midfielder for Ireland!

**Sullivinho** · 23/05/2011, 11:37 AM

Redknapp has not closed door on Robbie Keane

"I haven't written Robbie off at all. He is a top-class professional who has played over 100 times for his country," he added.

"He captains the Republic of Ireland team. He is a top-class professional. He has to come back here and fight to play in the team now."

Hmmmm.

Apparently Wolves had an agreement to buy O'Hara if they stayed up too so the England prospect will have to do his impressing from Molineux again next season.

**SwanVsDalton** · 23/05/2011, 11:39 AM

Harry's canny enough not to shut any doors - particularly when his other strikers have been pretty abject this year. Still be a huge surprise if Robbie can salvage a career at Spurs.

**drummerboy** · 23/05/2011, 12:37 PM

The unfortunate truth is that he is a shadow of his former self. Mick McCarthy might be tempted though.

**tetsujin1979** · 23/05/2011, 1:01 PM

Was in Galway for the weekend, and watched the Spurs game in Fagan's on Eyre Square with a Spurs season ticket holder. According to him, Robbie is going to QPR in the summer, the deal has already been agreed and will be announced in the next few weeks.

Never occurred to me to ask why a season ticket holder would be in Ireland on the last day of the season, but anyway.