Keane

[Kyras]

Keane looks an absolute shadow of his former self, and even for ROI, who he usually performs wonderfully for, he looked lost. He was still making intelligent runs, and got in behind a couple of times, but looks so unbelievably short of confidence.

I know we've only got four strikers, and Defoe's liable to be injured at any time, but IMO Keane needs games to get himself back into form. I just wonder whether a short term loan would suit both him and us. The problem is, to whom?

He is obviously too good for the championship, but then so is Bellamy. Maybe someone would take him on a one month loan, he would be a shoe-in for anyone's first team in that league. Similar, in a way, to what the Cricket board have done for Pietersen, because in this form, Keane is not much use to us, but there's a good player in there, somewhere.

 

[PT]

I'm beginning to think Spurs are doing his career damage at the stage he's at. Spurs had all summer to discuss the Keane situation and amicably sort out a solution that suits both parties.

It's clear that lack of game time is rendering Robbie blunt. He needs to play, not least because match sharpness and goals, the tools of his trade, breeds confidence.

I fear for Robbie if he doesn't get game time.

 

[stevenqoz]

Legs are gone. The true Keane had a randomeness based on nimble footwork underpinned by the certainty that he rarely knew what he was likely to do next......hence defenders were even more clueless against him. Time has ticked on. He should come here to join Fowler playing in oz. Even heroes get past it you know

 

[Dr Know]

TBH Keane screwed his own career. One too many boyhood clubs. He went to L'Pool and hasn't been the same since. We took him back and thought he could be the player he was when he left but that didn't happen. I can't see how Spurs are doing him damage:shrug: We're a club of many players and don't need to concentrate on just the one. Spurs will continue to do whats best for the club and if that means keeping Keane on the bench then so be it. Loyalty works both ways!!

 

[Kyras]

Legs are gone. The true Keane had a randomeness based on nimble footwork underpinned by the certainty that he rarely knew what he was likely to do next......hence defenders were even more clueless against him. Time has ticked on. He should come here to join Fowler playing in oz. Even heroes get past it you know

He's only just turned 30, and although he's been playing since he was 16/17, I'd like to think there was a little more left in the tank. He got himself in two or three brilliant positions last night for ROI, and you would put your house on him to score. He tried to leather one, and mishit it wide, and he tried to put another (from about 8 yards) in the corner, and hit the post.

 

[PT]

He's only a year older than Fabiano...

And we were going to give the Brazilain a three year deal...

 

[Legacy]

I'm beginning to think Spurs are doing his career damage at the stage he's at. Spurs had all summer to discuss the Keane situation and amicably sort out a solution that suits both parties.

It's clear that lack of game time is rendering Robbie blunt. He needs to play, not least because match sharpness and goals, the tools of his trade, breeds confidence.

I fear for Robbie if he doesn't get game time.

He had plenty of game time last season. First half of the season he featured for Spurs quite regularly and then from January to May he played in most, if not all, of Celtic's matches. He had a lot of game time in pre season too.

So it's not a lack of match practice at all. He made a mistake coming back, after failing at Liverpool, I'm sure there would've been a few decent clubs that would've taken him, which is where he should've gone.

He'll always be a legend in my eyes, but since he left Spurs have moved forward and Keane has dropped back.

 

[stevenqoz]

Look I'm joking putting it specifically down to his legs/footwork. His problem is with the physical part of the game at the top level imo. The shouty pointy bloke persona surfaced most when he seemed to be disliking the physical attention you get in the EPL. As skipper you need to brave not a whinger.

 

[mil1lion]

He's our most intelligent striker still. I certainly wouldn't loan him out at this point. He just needs a few to go in for him. Like the one yesterday where he hit the post. An inch the other side and that could've given him a bit of a boost. Strikers always thrive on confidence.

The trouble we have is, he is unlikely to get the run of games he needs to get back on form. He did well in pre-season and scored a few goals. He really needed to continue playing, but because he found himself back on the bench, all the momentum was lost.

Hopefully with the amount of games we'll be playing this season, he'll get more games. He's a good alternative to Defoe, so we can rest Defoe one week and play Keane instead. I'd be tempted to rotate between strikers during cup weeks. Crouch or Pav to partner Defoe or Keane.

 

[beals]

I'd b more worried if he wasn't getting into those goal scoring positions. Some pl seem to concentrate on the chances he misses, from memory I don't think his goal scoring record is too shabby with club or country.

 

[AngerManagement]

It could be as simple as lost form and confidence.

Strikers need match fitness and sharpness.

He was still making the right types of runs yesterday for Ireland, he got in atleast 2 very good chances to score but was let down by his finsihing (which were chances on another day he would have buried)

I agree he does look off the pace and a shadow of his former self, but that move to Liverpool was all wrong for so many reasons. I said at the time we had mugged Liverpool with the fee and his value had been sky rocketed by his ability to link up with Berba and the partnership making him look better than he actually ever was.

Don't get me wrong Keane was always a fine player, but his partnership with Berba made him look world class (something I don't believe he ever was) and we sold him as a World Class striker for a fee reflecting this.

As such he went to Liverpool (much like Berba at Man U) with a weight of expectations on him and although he did a decent job there (under rated considering while in the team they were actually playing very well although he didn't obviously shine) he was not the star they thought they had bought and things did not work out for one reason or another.

This is bound to have been a dent to the ego and confidence as well as being off the pace from the resultant lack of game time.

He came back and to be fair to him he did what we needed him to do and helped keep us up, I was of the opinion that while I didn't think he was the player he once was and certainly never the player he had been hyped as...and of course the way he left gave us all a bad taste in our mouth.... I still said fair play to him because what he did to keep us up that year should not be under estimated, he provided a footballing brain taht helped us click and it very much eased modric into the English game (against Stoke at home I believe was the perfect example of this)

So yea, he came back looking a shadow of himself but his football brain did help keep us up when we were down and out.

He then went to Celtic and showed he was still far too good for that league, what does that tell us? probably not a lot, only that he certainly has not declined to the extent where he is no SPL ready, as soon as he got match fit and sharp he tore the league up and was (in half a season) Celtic's player of the year.

Does that mean with match fitness and sharpness he is still good enough for the EPL? maybe, certainly not as past it as some people make out....plus I think many judge him by the standard he set playing with Berba (which as I said was something of an illusion in my opinion)

My personal opinon is yes, he has lost a yard of pace and some of what made him as good as he was...he is kinda in the stage players like Shearer found themselves having to reinvent themselves as a striker to adjust to their age.

What I will say is this, Keane has more to his game than pace. As a result he still probably has something to offer, I believe he is the type of striker who is more of a supporting player than the star (hence him looking at his best along side Berba) who knows maybe situations will fall in to place leaving him forced to play and his guile and football brian may find him being the best striker to link up with VDV? it is by no means impossible.

After all there was a time before he forced his way back into the team ahead of Defoe first time that most people thought his days with us were coming to and end and he had simply been displaced by a better striker.

I think his weighted pass to Pav to score against Young boys showed the type of quality he still has at his disposal, and some of his finishing in Pre season (yes I know its only preseason) suggested he still has an eye for goal (who knows had it been him through one on one against Hart on opening day maybe we'd have two more points by now)

I think seeing as we brought no new strikers in, keeping Keane is the best thing for us (even if not for him) we need the cover and competition and if he still has the hunger to be a starter for us I think he still has the potential to force his way into that role.

I would suggest it quite possible his movement and ability to link play could (atleast in some games) prove him to be the best of our strikers to play in a team with VDV and Modric creatively (with the explosive pace being provided from the wings in BAle and Lennon)

Maybe, just Maybe Keanes football brain will be move valuable to us this year with our proposed new formation and personnel than Defoe's pace or Crouch's height (or whatever Pav offers us )

What I am labouring to say is, yes he looks off the pace. It may just be form/sharpness, while he is a Spurs player though we might as well give him the benefit of the doubt and hope he can find a new (or his old) level of form by linking up with another world class talent in VDV as he manged to do along side BErba.

 

[milkman]

Can't judge him on ROI performances, the supply to the strikers in ROI is shite, bit harsh on Keano IMO.

I wish Keano could find the form he had a few years back at WHL.

 

[StartingPrice]

TBH Keane screwed his own career. One too many boyhood clubs. He went to L'Pool and hasn't been the same since. We took him back and thought he could be the player he was when he left but that didn't happen. I can't see how Spurs are doing him damage:shrug: We're a club of many players and don't need to concentrate on just the one. Spurs will continue to do whats best for the club and if that means keeping Keane on the bench then so be it. Loyalty works both ways!!

Enough with this 'boyhood clubs' shit, already - it has been explained so many times that a mentally retarded gerbil could understand it. For cultural reasons, and practical reasons (the Irish leagues just aren't of the quality of the EPL, most Irish people will have relatives living in places with big clubs and form an attachment that way) almost all football supporters in Ireland support two clubs. One in Scotland and one in the EPL. Don't like it - fine. But stop making out there is something whorish about Keane saying Liverpool was his boyhood club and then saying the same about Celtic. It is not FCUKing rocket science. /Rant

Back on topic: I know pre-season is just that, but it didn't look like his legs had gone then. I don't think getting those games in pre-season, the constant speculation, and then being left-out has helped his already brittle confidence. As said above, I am on the fence on this one. Maybe it is better if he leaves...if not, Aitch should be building his confidence up, as we may need him (any time soon...looking at JD last night).

But, please, no more quips about boyhood clubs...PLEASE.

 

[theShiznit]

didn't read all of Angermanagement's post (cos that shit is LONG!!)

but the opening statement rings true.

all four of our strikers will suffer from not playing regularly, in fact it say the least effect it would have would be on Crouch, as sharpness isn't really part of his game in the first place.

I am no Keane fan, but in pre-season (whoever the opposition) with a run of games he seemed better than he'd been in a long time.

Also motivation plays a part; in the Pre-season he seemed pumped to earn a place, and now he seems to have given up the ghost.

maybe with regular internationals and the thought of little/no game time for us between now and Jan he will have to knuckle down, but i have always thought 4 "top" strikers is a luxury that even the biggest clubs cannot afford. some of the biggest clubs barely have 2.

 

[AngerManagement]

didn't read all of Angermanagement's post (cos that shit is LONG!!)

but the opening statement rings true.

all four of our strikers will suffer from not playing regularly, in fact it say the least effect it would have would be on Crouch, as sharpness isn't really part of his game in the first place.

I am no Keane fan, but in pre-season (whoever the opposition) with a run of games he seemed better than he'd been in a long time.

Also motivation plays a part; in the Pre-season he seemed pumped to earn a place, and now he seems to have given up the ghost.

maybe with regular internationals and the thought of little/no game time for us between now and Jan he will have to knuckle down, but i have always thought 4 "top" strikers is a luxury that even the biggest clubs cannot afford. some of the biggest clubs barely have 2.

Your right I tend to waffle

My point could have been made simple like this....

Keane may be more off form than having 'lost it'

He lacks sharpness gained through regular play. He is judged by how he played with BErbatov, and Keane being more of a foil than a star was made to look better than he was per say playing with a star (think Rebrov Shevchenko)

Basically I was saying we need to support him now as we will no doubt need him over the course of a season and that as before if he still has the fight and desire to play regularly he may force his way in and prove to be the best striker to link well with VDV and Modric in our team for example.

So maybe VDV signing and potential change of system could be the spark that reignites Keane and he may prove to us that he is not past it just needing the right players and system (not to mention match fitness)

 

[JerryGarcia]

If he was determined to force his way back into the team then I'm sure he could, it's a mystery to me why he's fallen from grace. If we pick up a few injuries and have to rely on him, I think he could get back near his best but it all depends on his mentality.

 

[t79boy]

TBH Keane screwed his own career. One too many boyhood clubs. He went to L'Pool and hasn't been the same since. We took him back and thought he could be the player he was when he left but that didn't happen. I can't see how Spurs are doing him damage:shrug: We're a club of many players and don't need to concentrate on just the one. Spurs will continue to do whats best for the club and if that means keeping Keane on the bench then so be it. Loyalty works both ways!!

:clap: Well said sir

 

[Son_Of]

with 4 competitions, we will have enough game time for keane to make a statement soon enough.
let's see if he can. same applies to GDS although not necess as a striker, with bentley injured he's more likely a back up winger

 

[C0YS]

This whole thread is rubbish, Keane always playes a lot worse for ROI since I first can remember. He just dosen't get the service. I've heard Ireland fans complain on how he could never replicate his spurs form at his prime.

 

[Dr Know]

Enough with this 'boyhood clubs' shit, already - it has been explained so many times that a mentally retarded gerbil could understand it. For cultural reasons, and practical reasons (the Irish leagues just aren't of the quality of the EPL, most Irish people will have relatives living in places with big clubs and form an attachment that way) almost all football supporters in Ireland support two clubs. One in Scotland and one in the EPL. Don't like it - fine. But stop making out there is something whorish about Keane saying Liverpool was his boyhood club and then saying the same about Celtic. It is not FCUKing rocket science. /Rant

Back on topic: I know pre-season is just that, but it didn't look like his legs had gone then. I don't think getting those games in pre-season, the constant speculation, and then being left-out has helped his already brittle confidence. As said above, I am on the fence on this one. Maybe it is better if he leaves...if not, Aitch should be building his confidence up, as we may need him (any time soon...looking at JD last night).

But, please, no more quips about boyhood clubs...PLEASE.

Its just a shame that a mentally retarded gerbil couldn't read between the lines!
In a nut shell:
He thought the grass was greener on the other side but instead it found it was infested with red ants, so comes back and expects to take his place at the head of the table..............well no you can't do that.
I give Keane the respect thats due to him. He was and should still be considered a Spurs legend but only for what he has done in the past. He should not and cannot expect to come back and things would be the same for both team mates and fans.
Ok lets just put it down to him making a mistake going to L'Pool. Well we all make mistakes and we all have to live with the consequences.



Ps:
Its not in my nature or make up to insult people but felt I needed to return the complement. No hard feeling :up: