Robbie Keane

Robert David "Robbie" Keane (born 8 July 1980 in Tallaght, Dublin) is an Republic of Ireland football (soccer), currently playing for Tottenham Hotspur F.C.. Robbie Keane is also the current captain (association football) and all-time record goalscorer for the Republic of Ireland national football team.

Robbie Keane began Robbie Keane professional career at Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C., scoring twice in Robbie Keane first team debut aged 17. The following season Robbie Keane was the club's leading goalscorer and scored Robbie Keane first international goal with Republic of Ireland. Robbie Keane changed club frequently between 1999 and 2002, breaking transfer fee records, but Robbie Keane brief spells at Inter Milan and Leeds United A.F.C. were unexceptional. Robbie Keane joined Tottenham Hotspur F.C. in 2002 and played there for six years. The Premier League 2007–08 was the most fruitful of Robbie Keane career as Robbie Keane set a career record of 23 goals in a season, scored a landmark 100th competitive goal for Tottenham and won Robbie Keane first senior honour, the Football League Cup. Robbie Keane moved to Liverpool F.C. in July 2008 but Robbie Keane spent only six months at the club and soon returned to Tottenham, where Robbie Keane was made first team captain.

Keane is best known for Robbie Keane performances at Tottenham, where Robbie Keane gained repute as a consistent goalscorer and often finished the season having scored the most goals on Robbie Keane team. Keane's pedigree was reinforced when Robbie Keane became Ireland's record goalscorer in 2004 and Steve Staunton appointed Robbie Keane national team captain in 2006.

Club career

Early career

Keane started Robbie Keane football career with South Dublin schoolboy side Crumlin United where Robbie Keane talent was recognised at an early age. Keane received offers from both Liverpool F.C. and Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. but decided to go to the Football League First Division side, judging that it would be harder to break into the first team at Liverpool. Robbie Keane moved to Wolves at the age of fifteen, joining their youth team.

Keane progressed through Wolves' youth ranks and made Robbie Keane professional debut aged 17 on 9 August 1997, scoring twice against Norwich City F.C.. The following season Robbie Keane excelled at the club, earning plaudits from both the press and Wolves manager Colin Lee. Robbie Keane went on to be the club's leading scorer, hitting the back of the net 16 times in the 1998-99 in English football. However, with three years left on Robbie Keane contract, Wolves sought a high price for their Irish starlet and managing director John Richards (footballer) stated Robbie Keane reluctance to sell Keane unless their asking price was met.

Coventry City

Just weeks into the 1999-2000 in English football, Robbie Keane was sold to Premier League club Coventry City F.C. for £6m, then a British record for a teenager. During a successful season at Coventry, where Robbie Keane scored 12 goals in 34 games, Robbie Keane came to both national and international prominence, becoming one of the hottest properties in English football and was being courted by many of the biggest clubs in football.

Inter Milan

Marcello Lippi of F.C. Internazionale Milano succeeded in obtaining Keane's signature, for a fee of £13 million. However, Keane's dream move to Italy soon soured when Lippi was sacked. Lippi's successor, Marco Tardelli, deemed Keane to be surplus to requirements. Keane's ambition refused to let Robbie Keane stagnate in Italy and in December 2000 Robbie Keane was loaned out to Leeds United A.F.C. after only 13 appearances and two goals for Inter in all competitions.

Leeds United

Robbie Keane Leeds career got off to an impressive start, scoring 9 goals in 14 starts before the Leeds manager, David O'Leary, made Robbie Keane loan deal permanent in May 2001 at a cost of £12 million. The following season was not so bright, and Robbie Keane found himself dropping down the pecking order. Robbie Keane form suffered and Robbie Keane only managed 10 goals in 36 appearances. Meanwhile, Leeds' financial troubles forced the club to sell many of its players and Keane joined the exodus when Robbie Keane was sold to Tottenham Hotspur F.C. just before the 2002-03 in English football transfer deadline for a fee of £7 million.

Tottenham Hotspur

On signing Robbie Keane for Tottenham, manager Glenn Hoddle said that Keane was ideally suited to Tottenham and could make White Hart Lane Robbie Keane "spiritual home" for years to come. Keane had an impressive debut at Spurs, winning a penalty during a 3–2 win over West Ham United. Keane's first goal for Tottenham came in a 2–1 win against Blackburn Rovers F.C. at Ewood Park. Although Spurs finished in a disappointing tenth place, Keane was their success story of the season, finishing as Tottenham's top scorer with 13 goals, including a spectacular hat-trick in a win over Everton F.C. at White Hart Lane.

In the 2003-04 in English football, Spurs battled with relegation, but Keane's goals played a major part in helping secure Tottenham's Premiership status. A hat-trick against Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. and a last minute penalty to equalise in the North London derby against Arsenal F.C. were highlights as Keane once again ended the season as Tottenham's top scorer with 16 goals.

Robbie Keane third season, 2004-05 in English football, was more frustrating. Despite finishing with Robbie Keane highest return of goals in a season for Tottenham, 17, Robbie Keane played second-fiddle to the likes of Jermain Defoe, Frédéric Kanouté and Mido (footballer) for much of the season. The frustration culminated in Keane storming from the dugout towards the end of a game against Birmingham City F.C. in April 2005 after all the substitutes had been used, meaning Robbie Keane would not get a chance to appear. Robbie Keane was fined £10,000 and forced to train with the reserves after the outburst and Robbie Keane future at the club was thrown into doubt.

Robbie Keane knuckled down after this incident but the 2005-06 in English football started as the previous one had ended, with Defoe being preferred to partner Mido in Tottenham's strikeforce. However, Defoe's strike-rate continued to disappoint and Keane's persistence paid off in November when manager Martin Jol eventually gave Keane a chance to replace Defoe and stake Robbie Keane claim.

Robbie Keane grabbed the chance with both hands, started playing some of the best football of Robbie Keane career and by March had overtaken Mido as the top goalscorer at the club. Keane would go on to finish the season with 16 league goals — making Robbie Keane the Premier League's joint fourth top goalscorer that season. Robbie Keane had also been made the Vice-captain (football), taking the captaincy on occasions when Ledley King was not available. Edgar Davids and Keane were involved in a training ground fight in December 2005, but the pair subsequently made up publicly and were seen encouraging each other on the pitch.

In February 2006, Inter Milan's owner and president, Massimo Moratti, admitted Robbie Keane regret at letting Keane go after being impressed by Robbie Keane performances at Tottenham. Keane extended Robbie Keane commitment to Tottenham, signing a new four year contract in March 2006. Keane was named as one of ten Spurs squad members to be struck down by norovirus on 6 May 2006. However, Robbie Keane still managed to play in their final game of the season against West Ham United F.C..

Keane had a slow start to the 2006–07 season which was further set back by a knee ligament injury that Keane suffered against Middlesbrough F.C. on 5 December 2006. Robbie Keane coming back from injury marked the beginning of a return to form and a dynamic partnership with Dimitar Berbatov. Keane and Berbatov were jointly awarded the FA Premier League's Player of the Month Award for April 2007. Keane finished the season with a total of 22 goals in all competitions - the highest ever season tally of Robbie Keane career - scoring 15 goals in Robbie Keane last 15 appearances of the season.

Keane started in Robbie Keane 200th appearance for Tottenham in the final game of the FA Premier League 2006–07 against Manchester City F.C. scoring the first goal in a 2–1 victory that saw Tottenham secure fifth place in the league.

Robbie Keane signed a new five year contract with Tottenham on 28 May 2007. On 26 December 2007 Robbie Keane became the thirteenth player in the history of the league to score 100 Premier League goals. 2007 proved to be a remarkable year for the striker with a total of 31 goals and 13 assists from just 40 starts. Robbie Keane tally of 19 league goals in the calendar year was the highest of any player in the Premier League throughout 2007.

Robbie Keane scored Robbie Keane 100th competitive goal for Tottenham in the 2–0 win against Sunderland A.F.C on 19 January 2008. Robbie Keane is the fifteenth Tottenham player to achieve this feat. On 24 February 2008 Robbie Keane won Robbie Keane first senior honour as a player as Robbie Keane Tottenham side won the first 2008 Football League Cup Final to be played at the new Wembley Stadium, beating Chelsea F.C. 2–1 after extra time. On 12 April 2008 Keane made Robbie Keane 250th appearance for Spurs in the 1–1 draw with Middlesbrough F.C.. Keane finished the 2007–08 season equal top scorer for Spurs with Berbatov, with 23 goals in all competitions. Robbie Keane 15 Premiership goals making Robbie Keane the first Spurs player to score double figures in the Premier League in 6 consecutive seasons. Keane in Robbie Keane Tottenham career won the player of year three times (2003–04, 2005–06 and 2007–08); the first player to do so. Tottenham agreed to a £20.3 million deal for the player, allowing Keane to join the team Robbie Keane supported as a child, even though Robbie Keane had pledged that Robbie Keane would remain at Tottenham just one month earlier.

Liverpool

"The goals have been a long time coming but deep down I knew they would. I might have worried about it when I was younger but not now."

Return to Tottenham

Keane rejoined Tottenham on 2 February 2009, signing for a basic fee of £12 million, potentially rising to £19 million with add-ons. The deal meant that the cumulative transfer fees paid for Keane over Robbie Keane career amounted to around £75 million. Robbie Keane signed a four-year contract with the north London club. Keane was one of three players to make returns to Tottenham during the transfer window, along with Jermain Defoe and Pascal Chimbonda. Keane scored Robbie Keane first goal since Robbie Keane return to the club on 4 March, opening the scoring in the crucial 4-0 home victory against Middlesbrough. Robbie Keane followed this up by scoring another vital goal, this time a last-minute equaliser, away to Sunderland in a 1-1 draw on March 7.

Soon after Keane's return to White Hart Lane, railway service Virgin Trains ran an advertisement with the slogan "A Liverpool to London return faster than Robbie Keane." When Robbie Keane did return to Liverpool on the final day of the season, Robbie Keane scored in a 3-1 defeat.

International career

Robbie Keane has already achieved much in the international arena. Robbie Keane was part of the "Golden Generation" of Republic of Ireland youth football of the late 1990s. Under the guidance of Brian Kerr (football manager), the unfancied Republic won the UEFA UEFA U-16 Championship and European Under-18 Football Championship European championships in 1998, and Robbie was part of the victorious U-18 side in Cyprus. In 1999, Robbie Keane played at the FIFA World Youth Championship in Nigeria, where the Republic reached the last 16 before going out on Penalty shootout (football) to the hosts.

Robbie Keane made Robbie Keane first senior appearance for the Republic of Ireland national football team against the Czech Republic national football team in Olomouc in March 1998, scoring Robbie Keane first senior goal against Malta national football team in October that year. Robbie Keane won Robbie Keane 70th Cap (football) in the Republic's 5–0 defeat of San Marino, scoring a Hat-trick Association football along the way.

Robbie Keane was part of the Football World Cup 2002 campaign in South Korea and Japan, scoring three goals in the Republic of Ireland's four games. Keane scored an injury-time Equaliser (football) against Germany national football team in the 2002 World Cup; the only goal to be scored against Germany in the competition until the final. Robbie Keane also scored a last-minute equaliser against Spain national football team from a penalty kick.

Although the Republic of Ireland failed to qualify for the Football World Cup 2006, Keane scored four goals in the Republic's eight qualifying matches and remains their most prolific goalscorer.

Following Steve Staunton's appointment as the manager of the Republic of Ireland, Keane was appointed Captain (football). In their first game under Staunton, Keane scored the second goal in the 3–0 victory against Sweden national football team at Lansdowne Road, and celebrated the final match at the Lansdowne Road stadium, against San Marino, with a hat trick. On 29 May 2008 Robbie Keane scored Robbie Keane 33rd international goal in their 1–0 victory over Colombia national football team at Craven Cottage in London. Robbie Keane scored Robbie Keane 34th international goal during a friendly in Oslo, against Norway in a 1–1 draw,
and Robbie Keane 35th in Ireland's 1–0 over Cyprus at Croke Park on 15 October 2008. Robbie Keane also scored two goals against Georgia national football team which the team won 2–1. On the 1 April 2009 Robbie Keane scored Robbie Keane 38th goal for Ireland with an 89th minute equaliser against Italy national football team in a world cup qualifier in Bari. The Republic of Ireland have never lost a game in which Robbie Keane has scored, with the exception of a 2002 World Cup against Spain, which was lost on penalties.. On 29th of May Keane scored Robbie Keane 39th goal for Ireland in a friendly against Nigeria at Craven Cottage. Keane has scored 24 competive goals & 15 in friendly internaltionals.

Personal life

On 7 June 2008 Robbie Keane married Robbie Keane long time girlfriend, former Miss Ireland contestant Claudine Palmer, in Ballybrack, South Dublin. The couple had their first child on 10 May 2009, a boy named Robert Ronan Keane. Robbie enjoys a variety of sports outside football, such as badminton and fencing, and is also a keen golfer.

Honours

Coventry City

- FA Youth Cup: (Runner-Up): 2000

Inter Milan

- Supercoppa Italiana: (Runner-Up): 2001

Tottenham Hotspur

- Peace Cup: 2005
- Football League Cup: 2008

Republic of Ireland

- UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship: 1996
- UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship: 1998

Career stats

^{Correct as of 29 July 2009}

International goals