Robbie Keane has no regrets over his failed move to Liverpool

[MrsB]

Times Online, February 6, 2009

Robbie Keane says he has no regrets over his failed move to Liverpool, after bringing a disappointing spell at Anfield to an end on transfer deadline day when he rejoined Tottenham Hotspur.

The Republic of Ireland striker, who has been made captain on his return to White Hart Lane, says he has put the frustration of his time at Liverpool behind him and is determined to help Tottenham avoid relegation. "Things happen for a reason," he said. "It didn't work out for me and now I'm back with a fantastic club and a fantastic manager who believes in his players.

"I'm training with a smile on my face again. I did everything I had to do [at Liverpool], did everything possible to play but sometimes the manager just doesn't fancy you, simple as that.

"It's difficult to take being left out of a squad. That hasn't happened to me since I started playing when I was 17. But I don't regret anything I do in football and I'm a Tottenham player now. They are a club that's close to my heart and I'm really looking forward to going out there and putting that jersey on. Liverpool is the past and I'm concentrating on the future."

Tottenham's immediate future involves ensuring their top-flight status and Keane, whose importance is even greater now that Jermain Defoe is out for ten weeks with a fractured foot, is focused on instilling confidence in the side. "It's so close at the bottom that a couple of wins and you are right back up there," he said. "It's a strong squad but as much as that is the case, we are in a bad position.

"Hopefully we can push up that table, starting on Sunday. The reality is we are in a relegation battle and it's our responsibility to get ourselves out.

"It's clear to see the lads have been low on confidence but it's up to me and up to the rest of the players to get back to where I think the club should be, which is in the top ten."

[dww]

[Joe King]

No room for sentiment in Liverpool’s quest for trophies

Feb 6 2009

By David Prentice, Liverpool Echo


HARRY REDKNAPP’S first act after re-signing Robbie Keane was to give him the Tottenham captaincy.

Now that might just be a simple act of man management by the Spurs boss, designed to lift a player whose confidence has been knocked by his in and out treatment at Anfield.

But it might also hint at one of the reasons why Rafa Benitez was prepared to cash in on a striker he only signed five months ago.

Redknapp’s gesture was the kind of hand round the shoulder you don’t get at Anfield.

Not even if you’re Steven Gerrard.

“If Liverpool win and I stick away a dead-good hat-trick and do 98 things right and two wrong,” said the Reds’ most valuable player bar none “Rafa will pull me sharpish. ‘Steven, about those two mistakes,’ he’ll say, and he’ll speak to me for 10 minutes about them.”

And Gerrard listens.

You need to stand on your own two feet at Anfield.

And since Tuesday afternoon there has been just a suggestion or two that Robbie Keane needed more TLC than his manager was prepared to offer. MrB loves Villa, look at the colour highlighting the text

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0500liverpoolfc/0100news//tm_headline=no-room-for-sentiment-in-liverpool-8217-s-quest-for-trophies%26method=full%26objectid=22871956%26siteid=50061-name_page.html

[Tee]

Not surprised by his comments at all.

[MrsB]

Redknapp defends Keane reputation

Story from BBC SPORT, 2009/02/07 19:03:36 GMT

Harry Redknapp says that Robbie Keane's Liverpool career was not a failure - and his signing has given Tottenham a lift ahead of the clash with Arsenal.

"I don't get this thing about Robbie struggling at a big club. What is Tottenham?," said Spurs boss Redknapp.

"Tottenham is a massive club, he made it here and he can make it anywhere. He's that good a player.

"I've noticed this week in training that we've been brighter, sharper and the lads have loved having him back."

Republic of Ireland international Keane returned to White Hart Lane this week in a £12m deal after a disappointing six-month spell on Merseyside under Rafael Benitez.

Redknapp immediately installed Keane as captain at the expense of Ledley King.

And it is clear the manager appreciates the striker's quality, with Spurs preparing for a relegation battle, starting with a testing north London derby at home against the Gunners.

"It's not like he's gone from playing in the Championship to a big Premier League club. He's been a top player for his entire career, a top, top player," explained Redknapp.

"Robbie has played for Inter Milan and Leeds were a massive club when he played for them.

"He's scored a couple of fantastic goals on the training pitch and everybody has looked at that and been boosted.

"They know what he's all about. Woody (Jonathan Woodgate) and JJ (Jermaine Jenas) have been ringing him up because they all wanted him back and they knew we needed him," he added.

"Only a certain number of players have that fantastic enthusiasm when they play.

"We played Manchester United they other week and (Carlos) Tevez was fantastic. When he lost the ball he chased after it like you used to do in the school playground and that's how Robbie plays."

Meanwhile, Keane has said there was nothing more he could do to make a success of his short-lived spell at Anfield.

"Sometimes the manager doesn't fancy you, its as simple as that," said the Dublin-born forward.

"If I was a bad egg around the place I could understand that, but I worked every day in training."

Keane signed for the Reds in July in a deal which could have risen to £20.3m, but failed to gel with Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres in the side's attack.

He scored seven goals in 28 appearances but found himself spending increasing amounts of time on the Anfield sidelines, with French teenager David Ngog moving ahead of him in the Anfield pecking order.

Keane's return will bolster Spurs' attacking options which also include Jermain Defoe, Roman Pavlyuchenko and on-loan Fraizer Campbell.

"I went to Liverpool and, for whatever reason, it didn't work out. It is just disappointing that there were some opportunities I didn't get," Keane added.

"The most disappointing thing was getting left out of the squad. I found that difficult to take because since I have been a professional, I've never been left out of a squad for that reason."

By contrast, Keane played tribute to new boss Redknapp, who has spent £42m during the transfer window in a bid to stave off the prospect of relegation.

"I'm now at a fantastic club with a fantastic manager who respects his players and if you're doing well will tell you you're doing well," he said.



Ah, whatever, I hope he scores 5 vs Arsenal today.

[Neil Young]

Robbie Keane may not like it but he failed at Liverpool. I suppose facing up to professional failure may be even harder for a sportsman, given how competitive they need to be to succeed and how important confidence is, than it would be for many of the rest of us in our own particular fields of work.

[Shaggy]

Robbie Keane may not like it but he failed at Liverpool. I suppose facing up to professional failure may be even harder for a sportsman, given how competitive they need to be to succeed and how important confidence is, than it would be for many of the rest of us in our own particular fields of work.

As for Redknapp's comments about "not getting it" and Spurs being a "massive club"....

[tiktu]

And since Tuesday afternoon there has been just a suggestion or two that Robbie Keane needed more TLC than his manager was prepared to offer. MrB loves Villa, look at the colour highlighting the text.

How does Prentice know this

[Darth Marty]

I harbour no ill feelings towards Robbie Keane whatsoever, I hope he goes onto great things with Spurs.

[Craig_H]

Nothing against Keane, but he did indeed fail at LFC and he obviously lacks a certain amount of mental strength and character, if he can only succeed with a manager putting his arm around him every week.

[Nick77]

Nothing against Keane, but he did indeed fail at LFC and he obviously lacks a certain amount of mental strength and character, if he can only succeed with a manager putting his arm around him every week.

Yes, I hope he gets a rapturous welcome on the last day of the season at Anfield...

[rezaeos]

He fulfilled a dream all Reds fans have; to put on the red jersey and play at Anfield. Other than his lack of success on the field, he made more money than would have at Spurs. All the best to him, except against us.

[dww]

As for Redknapp's comments about "not getting it" and Spurs being a "massive club"....

To be fair a certain level of delusions of grandeur are a necessary requirement as Spurs manager.

[Tee]

He missed a sitter yesterday.

[rezaeos]

He missed a sitter yesterday.

Wasn't it a peach. Maybe Rafa is not as harsh as we think!