Hope Keane can show that hunger and desire for us again, he is still a big handful for any defence when he is really fired up, and despite having lost a large chunk of faith in him, still reckon he has a decent roll to play in what will be (hopefully) a very busy season for us.

Looking forward to Keano being back - hopefully he gets his chance and produces the goods again...

I dont agree, you were our club captain and you took the players on the razzle behind the managers back. HR made a decision and without you we are a better team. I dont beleive RK has the mentality to come on and make an impact from the bench, so I think, with his strong performance for Celtic, that this is the only time to sell him, and actually get some decent money for him.

that p1ss up could have cost us the automatic CL qualifyer, and a chance to come above Arsenal.. but we'll never know

Keane enjoys the tipple too much.
That's why Liverpool dumped him.
That's why he takes players on benders.

If he can kick that habit - then maybe he can re-find his former form. But booze dampens sharpness, form, confidence and ability and it became quite clear before Xmas that he wasn't cutting it. Scoring in boozed up Jockland is not complicated.

I hope he sorts himself out this summer.

what worries me from this statement is that if he is not first choice then he will lose the hunger again. I don't know how we can keep him if we are not sure of his mental attitude. Perhaps we can get a hint during preseason and hold on to him until we know for sure(-ish).

Rather than hope that RK comes back and starts enjoying himself i am more than hoping we are in the best position in years to attract much better players than him.

He is on his way out, we don't need that now, we need to improve while we are in the driving seat and make sure we are in the same position next season.

hmm, i still have my reservations.

What would happen if we sign that special striker? Keep Keane over Pav and Eidur?

Of the three of them I prefer Eidur as he brings something to the team that we sometimes need, the ability to drop into the middle 'effectively'. Although I like Pav he hasnt been consistent even though he worked hard. And Keane? Im just not sure

I'm not so sure he's entirely lost his ability. It's not as if he's the sort of striker who relies upon pace.

There's a great deal to be said for banging in a goal a game to restore a striker to the peak of form. We all know that SPA defences are a bit, well, crap, but Keane scored a hell of a lot of goals there in a very short time and might well be up for a few more next season.

Whatever ends up happening, I doubt that it's a foregone conclusion either way. We have four senior strikers and surely one good one to come in. Crouch and Defoe will be going nowhere, so it will be a question of which one of Pavlyuchenko and Keane Redknapp is more keen to see to stay - and which of them more intensely wants to stay.

That CL qualifier suddenly looks awfully tempting.

Regardless of whether R.K. "enjoys the tipple too much" (and I'm not so sure that this is true, I mean how do people KNOW these things?), it's how he plays in the pre-season that's important. If he has regained his scoring ability then it can only be good for Spurs; he can stay as an important part of the team - one that has been in need of goals at times - or as a more valuable trade.

In my eyes, Defoes form dipped when Keane went, Defoe needs Robbie like Lennon needed Bentley IMHO, you get the best from Keane when he plays on the shoulder, they are the two fighting for that position in my eyes. I'm in favour of Keane staying, I like Pav a lot but I think he suits a 4-3-3 which I don't see us employing regularly enough for him to get a run of confidence going, Eidhur is a strange one for me as I don't know if he is best used right upfront or as a very advanced midfielder for that "in the hole" position, so do we currently have 5 forwards or 4?

Crouch is the odd man out for me as he gives us a plan B/C so obviously he stays.

Defoe is Harrys pet and he will always score goals and with a fit Lennon and if he keeps off the front pages and stops speeding he stays.

A Keane on top form is a very good player to have around on and off the pitch but how much damage did that Dublin trip do? Head and Heart say if the air is cleared and the fans get behind him he stays, if he goes we don't sell him to our nearest rivals.

Eidhur is an obvious hit on and off the field but if he stays i see no need for Cole unless we keep O'hara and sell JJ so i'd keep him as i don't see him as an out an out forward anymore, he for me is ball holding attacking midfielder. Someone will say i'm wrong i'm sure

I think the ultimate question is - as posed by StokeSpur - is can we do better than Keane. IMHO Yes. I actually think the squad had a greater togetherness in his absence - and don't think his constant arm waving in frustration and coming back too deep helps the team play as a team. And that ultimatley is what it is all about. Getting 11 players all pulling in the same direction and playing for one another in a system that optimises their individual talent.

Defoe needs a world class partner. (And to learn the offside rule - and to get his head up for a final ball!! )

And and and....

Robbie Keane has always had issues with any form of rejection. I remember when he wasn't first choice for a short while in like 2005 and he was harping on about maybe leaving and Villa were linked.

He's a pussy, quite frankly. A fine striker in his day, but his day as a starting Tottenham player is gone and as he doesn't like being anything other than first choice, he can leave with my blessing.

What else could Keane be saying now? He can't talk about leaving when he would prefer to be staying. you know he doesn't believe he is staying cos if he was there would be loads of quotes out about how excited he is to be in the CL next season. He's not mentioned it. He may well train on July 5th but expect him to go soon after.

And if we got good money for him and signed the younger Gudjonson for little or no money then it would have to be seen as good business. Will always have a place in my heart for Robbie though, named my kid after him.

People have very short term memories. Until he went to Liverpool he was awesome for us. Whilsti'll agree he doesn't currently warrant an automatic start, he's worth keep as back up with Crouchy behing Defore and someone else (Still think Pav is on his way). Not forgetting also that he has UCL experience too!!

A friend of mine is best friends with Seth Johnson, and when he played with Keane at Leeds, he was well known for being a massive drinker, his parties were legendary throughout the club

Even if he comes back, the minute he spends anytime on the bench he will throw his dolls out of the pram. I would accept anything over 10m and put it towards another striker.

Its nothing to do with short term memories, if that was the case then manure would still have Saha etc etc etc .. its about being realistic, i'm sure most of us will remember what Keane has done and wish him well but the time has come now where we can and should improve and move on.

KEANO!! Bring him back & put him in the team!

Defoe's form for the final 2months of the season reminded me why he was allowed the leave in the first place - Because when he isn't scoring goals he gives you very little - Keane is the better all round player

What absolute twaddle. He would have been 20yo at the time and this is not relevant. I bet most people on this forum enjoyed a good piss up too much at that age.

Robbie's disciplinary record, the xmas situation aside is exemplary. he was not seen having a drink whatsoever after the League cup win, whereas a swath of the team was. Given the fact that he is not a great natural athlete, if he drank as much as was suggested, he would not be playing at all.