An open letter to Robbie keane

[DannyMan2006]

Does the fact that Rafa sold him on after just half a season now mean that we Internet Warriors are now free again to jugde players just as quickly instead of the normal "I'll hold judgement until he's played at least one season" mentality?

Good point. I think we have to remember in this case though that Keane was brought in to be an immidiate hit and give us a better chance of winning the title. At 28 years of age the only reason in signing him would be with the expectation that he would start delivering on a regular basis from the word go. The fact that he hasn't is why he has been sold.

Had Keane been 23 and not 28, or had he cost £10m as opposed to £20m, there is every chance he would have been here a little whils longer. It obviously goes without saying that had he delivered as Rafa expected he would also still have been here.

But when a fee of £20m is spent on a player who has a proven premiership record, it is right to expect to see results. And when the player does not deliver, and then fails to cope with being taken off or put on the bench and used as a squad player - It is surely right to get rid.

It would have been nice to keep Robbie until the end of the season, but his attitude was not one that fitted in with being a squad member from my view of outside looking in. And clearly after the injury to Defoe Spurs were in need of a striker and now was the best time to get a fee.

In shortKeane has been sold because he was a failure. He failed to do the business when in the first XI, and failed to settle for a role in the reserves.

[Craig_H]

the rcdnw lads out in force today

can anyone who isnt sorry to see him go or thinks he was treated ok please tell me if they think rafa is to blame or does he come out smelling of roses again

I'm hardly 'rcdnw' mate, but i back the manager on this one. He never wanted Keane in the first place and wasnt going to use him much, so i didnt see the point in keeping him.

To be honest, whether it was Keane's fault or not, his presence was disruptive and i think that whilst we're down a striker, we're better off without him.

We have Torres, Kuyt, Babel and N'gog - unless we're very unlucky indeed, that should see us through til the end of the campaign.

[Craig_H]

None of the RCDNWB thing please. It just stirs trouble

That's ridiculous.

Ok, so people wont use 'rcdnwb' then. They'll just say "People who think rafa is always right". People need to lighten up and get a life.

PWTRIAR.

RCDNW is easier

But censorship is rife.

[Elvoz]

I'm hardly 'rcdnw' mate, but i back the manager on this one. He never wanted Keane in the first place and wasnt going to use him much, so i didnt see the point in keeping him.

To be honest, whether it was Keane's fault or not, his presence was disruptive and i think that whilst we're down a striker, we're better off without him.

We have Torres, Kuyt, Babel and N'gog - unless we're very unlucky indeed, that should see us through til the end of the campaign.

was said a touch tongue in cheek pal
if he didnt want him why buy him ? im not having all this parry bought him ****e
rafa is a stubborn bugger and has imo shown a very childish mentality on this transfer
no one has come out of it well - least of all rafa

[Craig_H]

was said a touch tongue in cheek pal
if he didnt want him why buy him ? im not having all this parry bought him ****e
rafa is a stubborn bugger and has imo shown a very childish mentality on this transfer
no one has come out of it well - least of all rafa

Well you might not be having it, but i do think the transfer was done without rafa's full backing, personally.

I think we've done well to only have taken a £5m hit on it. Buying him for £20m was always going to leave us struggling with sell-on value.

[Elvoz]

Well you might not be having it, but i do think the transfer was done without rafa's full backing, personally.

I think we've done well to only have taken a £5m hit on it. Buying him for £20m was always going to leave us struggling with sell-on value.

should we of not bought someone else in though?

and dont you think in the long run players will think twice about coming if they are treated like this ?

[cadmium]

should we of not bought someone else in though?

and dont you think in the long run players will think twice about coming if they are treated like this ?

yes and yes mate

[Reece]

That's ridiculous.

Ok, so people wont use 'rcdnwb' then. They'll just say "People who think rafa is always right". People need to lighten up and get a life.

PWTRIAR.

RCDNW is easier

But censorship is rife.

I think the point he was trying to make is that people DO use it as a way of stirring.

[Craig_H]

should we of not bought someone else in though?

and dont you think in the long run players will think twice about coming if they are treated like this ?

Ideally yes, but there wasnt the time. I think it was key to sell him now, in the summer he'd have been worth even less.

As for treatment, i dont think there's a big issue there. He played 28 games for us, and didnt deliver. You could argue about giving him more time, but that would've been a huge gamble because if he'd not improved, his value in the summer would've been even less.

He was used as a bit of a pawn in the political stuff with rafa and parry, but everyone knows that if Keane had set the world on fire, rafa would've forgotten that he hadnt wanted him in the first place and taken full advantage of this player who he had putting in world class performances and winning games for us. The only problem was that Keane never became that player.

[Craig_H]

I think the point he was trying to make is that people DO use it as a way of stirring.

Well make people use it properly then. Telling people not to use the term is ridiculous, they'll just come up with a different way of saying the same thing.

The problem is the stirring itself, not the 'rcdnw' expression.

Everything's getting all too sensitive.

[Vermilion]

Ha ha, yes I bet he cant wait to use that perfect excuse if we dont win it!!!

I bet thats all he sold him for, you know, an excuse!!!

Mental, absolutly mental comment.

Fwiw, there have been faults on all sides with Keane. The player, the cheif exec and the manager. But to be honest Keane had chances, plenty and as others have said wasnt very good.

His attitude when on the pitch stunk IMO, I have never seen anyone moan in public like him and to be honest, as a supporter it affected my morale so I wonder what affect it had on other players??

Was going to say the same, but couldn't be arsed. Rafa want's control, sound like a man looking for excuses...NOT! More a man desperate to win us the title imo.

[Reece]

Well make people use it properly then. Telling people not to use the term is ridiculous, they'll just come up with a different way of saying the same thing.

The problem is the stirring itself, not the 'rcdnw' expression.

Everything's getting all too sensitive.

Exactly, and in the post Wiw replied to, it was used in a stirring way. There is only one person being over sensitive as far as I can see.
It was a simple, polite request so I really don't see why you have to make a thing out of it.

[DannyMan2006]

was said a touch tongue in cheek pal
if he didnt want him why buy him ? im not having all this parry bought him ****e
rafa is a stubborn bugger and has imo shown a very childish mentality on this transfer
no one has come out of it well - least of all rafa

Clearly Rafa wanted him, but with one problem - Not at a cost of £20m. And when Keane failed to deliver and Spurs came calling Rafa saw it as a chance to get a big chunk of money back whilst he still could.

Clearly the main problem is that Rafa would not have gambled a large part of his budget on Robbie Keane, he instead wanted to do that on Barry. Clearly Rafa has an excuse if we **** up this year as he was ignored and instead the board sanctioned the gamble for Robbie Keane.

Hence Rafa has been moaning in the press about wanting more control over transfers. Because had he had it in the summer he would have bought Barry and not Keane. Not because he didn't want Keane, but because he did not agree with the valuation Spurs had put on Keanes head.

[Craig_H]

Exactly, and in the post Wiw replied to, it was used in a stirring way. There is only one person being over sensitive as far as I can see.
It was a simple, polite request so I really don't see why you have to make a thing out of it.

Oh the irony

[Elvoz]

Was going to say the same, but couldn't be arsed.

i never said thats all he sold him for

but cant be arsed going on anymore - you think your right i dont

time to move on