Robbie Keane has evolved as a striker. The Irish international, who made a big money move from Tottenham to Liverpool, has begun to find his feet at his new club, scoring four goals recently. By Shaun Muir.
English League Cup winner Robbie Keane is beginning to settle into life with Liverpool after a slow start following his big-money move from Tottenham. He first burst on to the scene as a 17-year-old in the old English Division One for Wolverhampton Wanderers, scoring twice on his debut against Norwich City.
It was the beginning of a prosperous season during which Keane netted 11 goals in his first full campaign. The following season he netted a further 16 goals in all competitions.
That played a part in helping Keane claim a national team call-up from the Republic of Ireland in 1999 and a GBP 6 million move to Coventry City where Keane was nothing short of a revelation, scoring 12 goals in his first season in the English Premier League.
Legendary Italian manager Marcello Lippi saw the potential in Keane by signing the then 20-year-old for GBP 13 million for Italian Serie A giants Inter Milan after the striker had been at Coventry for only a year. However, soon after Keane’s arrival in Italy, Lippi was sacked and his replacement Marco Tardelli was not overly impressed by Keane, limiting him to just four starts. That prompted the then high-flying and cash-rich English side Leeds United to offer Keane a return to the EPL in December 2000 on a loan deal, which was duly converted into a permanent transfer in May 2001 for a GBP 12 million fee.
But his time at Leeds was a mixture of highs and lows. Keane scored 19 times and played in Europe for the first time, but was often limited to a cameo role from the bench despite impressing for the Republic of Ireland in World Cup 2002 where he scored three times in the group stages.
Tottenham subsequently came in for Keane during the early part of the 2002-2003 season and signed him for GBP 7 million.
Keane finally laid down some roots at White Hart Lane and enjoyed the most successful spell of his career to date. He made 254 club appearances in all competitions, scoring 105 goals and claimed his first piece of silverware in 2008 when he helped Spurs defeat Chelsea in the Carling Cup final.
Arguably the only club who could have tempted Keane away from Spurs were Liverpool. Keane had supported them as a boy and when they came knocking in the summer of 2008 with a massive GBP 20 million, Keane and Spurs could not turn it down. That took the total sum of transfers for Keane in his career up to a colossal GBP 58 million and after a slow start, Keane has started to find his feet recently by netting four goals for his new club.
For the Republic of Ireland, Keane has continued his consistent form. In 2004 he broke the all-time goal scoring record — he is now on 35 goals for his country — and was named captain in 2006 by then manager Steve Staunton.
Keane’s failed time in Italy with Inter Milan is most certainly the most frustrating part of his career so far. He had been a revelation for both his clubs, Wolves and Coventry, prior to the move and had successfully stepped up to play in the EPL. Had Lippi stayed or had Tardelli given Keane more of a chance, his career could have been very different. But at the time he had few options but to leave Italy. “I had to leave Inter because I wasn’t getting a game,” admitted the Irishman.
Keane married his childhood sweetheart and top Irish model, Claudine Palmer, in June 2008 in Ballybrack Church, Republic of Ireland.
Keane currently has a BMW X5 4.81SE, a Range Rover Sport 4.4 V8 HSE and a Porsche 911 Turbo sitting in his garage. There clearly wasn’t enough room for any more as he sold his 2004 Bentley Continental GT to Spurs team-mate Jermaine Jenas.
FACTFILEName: Robbie KeanePosition: StrikerClub: LiverpoolD.O.B.: 08/07/1980Republic of Ireland caps: 85Republic of Ireland goals: 35Republic of Ireland debut: v Czech Republic, March 1998
Moment to rememberWinning the Carling Cup with Tottenham earlier this year must go down as Keane’s career highlight. After a career of fantastic goals, mazy dribbles and expensive transfers, the one thing he was in need of was a trophy and that duly came with the victory over Chelsea in the final.
Moment to forgetKeane’s career at Liverpool has yet to truly get into full swing and recently he showed his frustration as he was hauled off against West Ham. Keane looked a disconsolate figure as he trudged off the Anfield pitch after being substituted during the goalless draw. “Robbie is a better player than the one we are seeing now,” said boss Rafael Benitez.
© PA Sport, 2008, All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, re-written, re-distributed or commercially exploited. Sportstar is not responsible for any inaccuracy in the material.
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