Robbie Keane

[Murfinator]

Dunphy calling him an "old 31" seems accurate. Keane has seemed mentally drained since the Liverpool move and hasn't been the same player, move might do him good.

[youngirish]

Dunphy calling him an "old 31" seems accurate. Keane has seemed mentally drained since the Liverpool move and hasn't been the same player, move might do him good.

He's looked good for Ireland since the Liverpool move, arguably better than he had looked for many a year before but I'll agree at club level he's struggled. Maybe he hasn't got the appetite anymore for games week in, week out and this move would possibly support that assertion.

With Ireland it's a different situation. He doesn't have to turn up for training everyday and prove himself against an endless assembly line of younger, perhaps hungrier strikers.

[Paddy the Dog]

Nah, he has been a major let down.

Quotes like this about Robbie disappoint me greatly.

My mate is a Wolves fan. He brought me to Oxford v Wolves in August 1998, and I remember him telling me about a new Irish youngster playing for Wolves up front. I remember too being delighted to see a new Irish talent performing really well.

Over the last few years the pro-Robbie and anti-Robbie camps have emerged, and my foot has been firmly planted in the former. I suspect I'm not the only one to have spent a lot of time supporting Robbie in post-match discussions in the pub, as his record is untouchable as has been detailed in a previous post. I would continue to play him given his experience, and scoring record.

In relation to Robbie's latest move, I welcome the enthusiasm of well-informed supporters such as irishfan86. Landon Donovan sprung to my mind when I heard of Robbie's impending move, and I would hope that Robbie can maintain the required fitness and sharpness for international football whilst playing in LA. However I don't believe a move to MLS is a positive one. There have been lots of views expressed as to where MLS is held in relation to the English Leagues; I believe it is a negative step. I would have much preferred a move to an English Championship club. The best we can expect now is that Robbie will be a big fish in a small pool, no, a shark in a small pool, and therefore exude confidence in International games.

[Charlie Darwin]

I can't believe nobody's mentioned the rumours that have been circulating in the past few months about his injunctions and his supposed off-field activities. Claudine has specifically mentioned moving to LA several times over the past couple of years. 2+2 etc.

This might not be such a bad move. The top end of the MLS is a decent standard and it doesn't seem to have affected Landon Donovan's international performances. I would still worry about him making the jump from MLS to facing top-class defenders. He won't be required to have the same amount of sharpness and speed of thought/action in LA.

Also I find it hilarious the lengths people will go to argue that Robbie is anything other than the greatest striker this country has ever produced, and probably ever will.

[theworm2345]

So assuming he gets called up and plays he will be the first US-based player to appear for Ireland since Joe Lapira...never thought I'd mention those two in the same breath but there you go.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Jaysus, there's some begrudgers on here.
The green-eyed monster perchance?

If he never played for Ireland again, good luck to him in the rest of his career.

[EastTerracer]

I'll admit my initial reaction to this move is that Robbie could have gotten a better move and could have joined a team in a much more competitive league.

However, now that the deal is done I'll be cheering Robbie on no matter where he plays. I bought a ticket today for what I hope will be his first game for the Galaxy (against New York Red Bulls on the 28th). I'll also be in Dublin and Moscow the following week to cheer him on. Having been going to Ireland matches since 1977 I can comfortably say that Robbie has been a superb player for us, our best striker ever and going to LA doesn't change that.

I hoped he would get another club but he didn't. Let him get on with this new stage in his career and, when the day inevitably comes when he's no longer first choice for Ireland then I'll sing my lungs out to thank him for the last 13 years and all the goals he's scored for us.

[PatJR]

Yeah, best of luck Robbie. It is disappointing that he is not staying in English or European football but he owes nobody anything. It's entirely predictable that this news attracts nasty and resentful comments but look we had this reaction to Robbie Keane all down the years.

The other big stick used to hit Keane is that he has constantly moved in his career, like that is a crime or makes him a bad player. He moved a lot at the start and end of his career but that ignores the six seasons in a row he spent at Spurs in the prime of his career scoring over 100 EPL goals and becoming the 9th all time scorer for Tottenham Hotspur. We don't even need to talk about where Ireland would be without him.

[jbyrne]

he could have been a great player.

he is a great player for Ireland.
that is all

[an_ceannaire]

Never realised how genuinely despised our captain is by so many in this country until today. Listening to many of the calls and texts into various radio shows over the last 2 days, i dont know. Record goal scorer. Does this mean nothing? He seems to be genuinely unpopular in Ireland nowadays.
Mystified

[Spudulika]

As when McGeady went to Russia, journos were falling over themselves in utter ignorance to condemn the move as money motivated and without reason, British and Irish hacks know nothing outside of the sky leagues (check out the bile int he Indo today) and this ignorance feeds into the "fan". The MLS has improved year on year, with a different type of football and some good south and central americans, not to mention africans, playing there. The most important thing is Robbie will get lots of game time, score lots of goals and do more than playing in some 2nd division side in England or sitting on the bench in the sky league premier.

[Lenny82]

A fantastic goalscorer for club and country but have seen him play extremely poorly for us, pop up with a goal, and then everybody talk about how brilliant he was!

I do remember Claudine saying in an interview that they planned to move to the US and then she had to back track and say "after Robbie retires". It was obviously their plan all along.

He has taken a pay cut in his gross pay (unsure of tax situation) to go there so don't understand why he wouldn't have taken one to stay playing at a higher level. He could move to LA for the rest of his life as he'll be a long time retired. The recent talk of court injunctions may have played a big part in his final decision but I fear this will affect his international career.

Hopefully he scores a hat full over there and continues to do the same at international level but I still can't help but feel disappointed by this move. Had he gone to Leicester, there was every chance he could be back in the Premier League in 12 months, and that would have been the sign of an ambitious player!!

[BonnieShels]

Paddy the Dog said it, and surprised it hasn't been said more often.

Robbie is the epitome of the "confidence player". He will score a lot more in the MLS than in he would this season in England.
That can only be a good thing for us.
Also the option of a loan spell is still there for him come November. This is as good a move from an Ireland POV as we could have gotten at this stage and I'm delighted it's come to pass.

[ifk101]

I think it's a good move for him. As already stated, he'll be the center of attention again and should get his confidence back after the difficulties of the last few seasons.

[ArdeeBhoy]

He's going to retire from Ireland in the next 2-3 years at the latest (presuming he's still good enough/interested then), so why the big surprise?

[lionelhutz]

As when McGeady went to Russia, journos were falling over themselves in utter ignorance to condemn the move as money motivated and without reason, British and Irish hacks know nothing outside of the sky leagues (check out the bile int he Indo today) and this ignorance feeds into the "fan". The MLS has improved year on year, with a different type of football and some good south and central americans, not to mention africans, playing there. The most important thing is Robbie will get lots of game time, score lots of goals and do more than playing in some 2nd division side in England or sitting on the bench in the sky league premier.

I can't agree with the comparison to McGeady. Whilst I have no doubt the MLS is improving, I'm pretty sure it's nowhere near the standard of the EPL, therefore Keane is taking a big step down. McGeady was moving from a poor Scottish league to a very competitive Russian league where there is no doubt his game has come on leaps and bounds.

I was hoping that Keane would move to a lower end EPL club where he would be facing top opposition week in, week out rather than semi-retiring from club level. In saying that, he's been a wonderful servant to Irish football and I've no doubt he will be for the rest of this campaign and hopefully the world cup.

[paul_oshea]

If he can get a loan move at christmas then i think his sharpness would be up to speed and his fitness too by the end of it. It might not be that bad a thing if he bangs in a load of goals and comes back revitalised from the easy living america offers.

So long as he doesn't go on the reconstituted/reformed chicken fillets(in everything not just salads or burgers), and the not properly drained beef he should be fine, or that sh1tty streaky greasy dirty bacon.

[an_ceannaire]

Paddy the Dog said it, and surprised it hasn't been said more often.

Robbie is the epitome of the "confidence player". He will score a lot more in the MLS than in he would this season in England.
That can only be a good thing for us.
Also the option of a loan spell is still there for him come November. This is as good a move from an Ireland POV as we could have gotten at this stage and I'm delighted it's come to pass.

I wouldnt bank on it. Look at Henry's return since he went. Not great and Robbie is not in his league, even today. Its not the SPL like. And as for him being the centre of attention....are you kidding?

[Dodge]

Henry's game has changed significantly since his Arsenal heydays. He's not about scoring goals.

Keane is. He scored a fair amount on loan at Celtic and this is a similar level (probably a step up in terms of opposition)

He owes nobody here anything. I hope he enjoys himself

[Crosby87]

Maybe he will divorce his wife and marry Paris Hilton.