Robbie Keane has completed a medical and resigned for Tottenham Hotspur, the club he captained until his move to Anfield in the summer of 2008.
The reds paid £18.3 million for the player with potential additional fees linked to appearances valuing the entire deal at just over £20 million. However, our understanding is that these additional fees will not be due by Liverpool for the player. In the modern world of installment-based payments Liverpool have only paid around half of the transfer fee for Keane to date.
Liverpool and Spurs agreed a fee for Keane late this afternoon – believed to be for around £16.3 Million.
Robbie Keane made 28 appearances for Liverpool scoring on 7 occasions. In Liverpool’s last three fixtures Keane has spent a game away from the ground, played 7 minutes at the end against Wigan and spent yesterday’s 2-0 win over Chelsea observing from the stands.
We wish Robbie the best of fortunate in his future.
Sorry too see him go 🙁 but it is over and done with now All we can hope for is The lad to have a good time at his new team all the best keane :D:P oxox
It is a bit of a shame to see Keane go but he didnt really fit into our system. Any negative comments about Kuyt are completely invalid as hes hardly ever used as a striker. Hopefully now Keanes gone he will be used up front much more, then if hes still not scoring goals then make comments. The comment above is completely right, were better off now than we have ever been since i can remember and Rafa masterminds fantastic runs in Europe time and time again with Liverpool and Valencia beforehand. He obviously has a plan and Keane failed to impress so he quickly became no longer a part of that. Hurry up and get Rafa a new contract because if he goes there is always a risk of a mass exodus of great players he brought in. The likes of Alonso, Reina, Riera, Skrtel could all follow him out. Is that a risk worth taking? I dont think so. IN RAFA WE TRUST.
Laters Keane,
Thanks for the goals you scored and the effort you put in but it just wasnt enough…..
As for all these people slating Rafa, wtf???
Brian,
You continue to make out like Robbie Keane was a glorious success at Anfield and a goalscoring machine. We don’t have cover for Gerrard but I don’t see people wildly bemoaning our lack of cover for him.
We beat Newcastle 5-1 if I recall without Torres and Keane. As for your allegations on Rafa. I suppose Benitez has nothing to do with the fact that we are currently chasing a title as opposed to chasing a European spot?
I know it’s sad but you have to get over Robbie now. The rest of us have.
Don’t dislike Robbie but always felt buying him was a mistake. To me he just looks like another Bellamy. How many times do I need to say we need David Vila no matter how much he costs. Torres and Vila awesome. We can only hope until the yanks go. Good luck to Keene with Spurs.
The only Robbie that matters-God, is coming to my state QLD to play in our lil A league. Now thats news.
Our points tally now is nothing to do with it and are you not forgetting we should be top of the league with plenty of breathing space between us and united if it wasn’t for Rafa’s crazy negative approach to games that we should have went out and bossed from the first whistle. Beating a poor Chelsea on Sunday is one thing but what about Wigan 3 days before and then there’s the stoke game and so on and so on……if Torres gets injured and we fall out of the title race will Rafa still have been right about letting Keane go?? Is one quality striker enough for a title chasing team??
I’m not suggesting – I’m stating my opinion. Having watched Robbie Keane closely 28 times in a Liverpool shirt I believe he didn’t have the quality required of a striker at a title chasing club like Liverpool – just like Bellamy didn’t and just like Cisse didn’t. I am sure he will do well for Spurs, but Spurs are and always will be a run of the mill club.
So yes, in answer to your question, Robbie Keane wasn’t good enough for us.
As for the manager having lost the plot. We have 84 points from the last 38 games, and we are currently 2 points off the top of the league.
Or maybe you have forgotten the last 19 years?
Is Anfield Online suggesting LFC was 2 good a club for Robbie Keane??? We have a team filled with average players yet Robbie Keane isn’t good enough for us……get real!! David N’gog selected ahead of a proven premiership goal scorer like Robbie the whole situation is crazy and typical of Rafa and if Robbie isn’t good enough for Liverpool then I’m sure we’ll be seeing the back of Kuyt, Lucas, Babel and few others when the seasons finished cause they are nothing more than average players themselves and maybe they’ll take the manager with them cause I’m starting to think he’s lost the plot altogether.
I agree with the comments made earlier. Benitez doesn’t often play with 2 out and out strikers and he likes to play with 2 holding midfield players. Torres is always going to be that out and out striker and Masch and Alonso are always going to be the preferred holding pair (in our strongest 11). The only place Benitez may have thought Keane could have done a job is just behind Torres. When Keane played in the Torres role, when Torres was injured, he was pretty poor. In fact Kuyt did better at Newcastle in this role.
Alternatively Keane could have played just behind Torres, but then we’d be leaving out one of the clubs greatest ever players in Steven Gerrard. Gerrard has proven he is a major asset to Liverpool playing as a link forward with Torres and with Kuyt, but not with Keane. Don’t forget Rafa, first and foremost is a coach. He isn’t too fussed about letting Keane go without replacing him, because the permutations for the 4-4-1-1 that he likes to play are numerous. I think it is better to call our preferred system 4-4-1-1 becuase it implies that we only attack with 2 players at most times. This I beleive is where we let ourselves down, because we send lots of balls into the penalty area with literally only 1 or sometimes 2 players in there and expect to score. The same can be observed when attacking corners. We rarely pack the penalty area with shirts.
Though it pains me to say it, Man Utd score lots of goals because they are able to get lots of players in the opposition penalty area. Sometimes Rooney, Berbatov, Ronaldo, Tevez, Scholes acan all be found lurking around the box. Frankly I think Keane was a victim of the way we play, which is why I’m scepticle Rafa was that interested in the first place. If he was, then he obviously decided very quickly that Keane wasn’t up to it and allowed him to go.
Another one bites the dust…. how many strikers has Rafa been through. Rafas methodology, when they dont score play them, when they score drop them, …. if the press says play them, then he rotates them, and so on….
A LFC fan for 35 yrs, we were the benchmark for all, now we are a laughing stock and ashamed of what is going on. Biggest game in town is not the Manu game, it is the internal fighting and Robbie was no more then a ball to be kicked around.
I am from ROI and I would not have signed Robbie for 20M, Villa was my coice or Roca Santa Cruz if not enough funds, still Robbie did not decide the fee, he was professional under adversity, cannot say the same about the manager. Lets face it, Robbie is a good honset player and we will never know how good he could be at a top club, he was not wanted by the manager, he wanted Barry and has used the suitation to try and win his contract clause of total transfer control.
Now, lets be honstest here. This was our best chance to win the PL since about 96 when Evans came close. The reason we could win is that United, Chelsea and Arsenal are all way below par and we have a first 11 that can now win against the top 4.
The simple reason we have not won the PL already withot Torres for the most part is simple :
9 draws against teams we dominated but could not find the winner. 9 draws = 9 points
5 wins and 4 losses (ie going for the win and risking a loss against lesser teams) = 15 points – we are ahead of United.
4 wins and 5 losses = 12 points – we are still ahead of United.
Being more aggressive for the win, and keeping your goals scorers on the pitch, you would have expected.
6 wins, 1 draw and 2 loss = 19 points. This is 10 points better then current position.
Do the math rafa…….
Someone should explain to rafa, 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw. Winning games wins the PL, draws are no good against the bottom teams. He is confusing it with the CL or else using the PL as practice for his real priority the CL. Better on his CV……
I believe the problem is a total deteriation of the relationship of manager and chief exec. No club gives the manager total control over transfers, what Rafa wants, at the same time gills does what Ferguson wants and there is total trust. No trust @ LFC. Both want the other out.
Rafa is now a Dead Man Walking…….only a PL win can save him. Why, injury to Torres and Gerrard and what are we looking at , Babble , Kuyt or Ngong. Scarey!!! Loose to Spurs in final game, Robbie scoring, same result. Fans will not forgive Rafa loosing a gilt chance to keep Man U 2 titles behind us so that he can win his internal battles.
His behaviour is not of our club and he has lost many of the fans, so if he does not deliver on the pitch, he is gone at the end of the season. Fans can say what they like now…in rafa we trust…my arse…ye all will be saying he lost it and time for a change.
Now contracts facts with Man U.
Berbatov has total backing of his manager, played most of the games , has 1 PL more goals then Robbie most of which are scored at the end of games and no one says he is not good enough. He also stands around and does little work. He cost 30M.
Robbie stopped playing apart from 74 minutes at the start of January, Yet Rooney has only 1 more PL goal compared to him, he has full backing and very little splinters in his backsi..
Tevez, 9M loan and will cost 30M has not played as much as
Berbatov and has 2 less PL goals compared to Robbie, no one is saying he is a total failure and not good enough.
Fact, United and Chelsea should be top for their investment, we should be third so we are doing well. Or are we ? , are United and Chelsea doing bad and they are falling back to us while Villa are doing better then us. Even Everton on a shoe string are closing in. So is Rafa that good, should we have O’Neill instead ?
So is Rafa a genius, no , he is good tactically against so called superior opposition and counter attacking. This will not win the PL, needs to be braver. What is all the note taking about…..during a game ? ‘What do I say to Torres and Gerrard when we do not win and they are both on the bench ?’ What bad englih do I choose to use to explain to fans and media ?
It is simple , play your best players from the start in their best poitions, get into a strong winning position and then take some key players off when the game is won.
No one says that Dossena is not the biggest waste of money, at least we got 7 goals from Robbie. Rafa choose Dossena and Degan, both worthless..
Taxi for Rafa,Perry, Hicks and Giller. Glad to see Pennant gone, what a waste of space, taki for Dossena , Degan, Levi. Aberolio and Yossi can go too at end of season , simple not good enough. Play the youing full backs and lets buy a quality right winger (not Lennon or Bently).
Apologies to Robbie from LFC. You kept your dignity, we did not.
How goos is Rafa the chess player, well he tried hard to humilate us in the CL final, got it all wrong twice, forced to bring on Hamman as his second sub and the rest is history. He last us the second final, how, taking masc off in the last 20 mins and Kaka broke free to setup what was the winner. If Kaka deserved to be watched for 70 minutes then he deserved equaly watching foe last 20 mins.
Why does Rafa have to buy a player to know about him, everyone know what Robbie is about, good player yes, honest yes, comitted yes, clinical finisher like rush, fowler or Torres No. Link man = could be but not a robot that rafa prefers.
I’m no expert but would it not make more sense to have left Keane in the side til the summer. That £12 is no good to Liverpool until the summer and keane is harly going to deteriorate in value anymore. If Torres gets injured we will have the attacking quality of a relegation side. And to Anfield Online don’t be so naive in thinking Keane had the option to stay, he would have had if he thought he would get a game once in a while
Anfield Online…..the very point so many bloggers are trying to make is that Benitez was obviously determined to make some stupied point by humiliating Robbie and preferring ineffective crap like Kuyt and Ngog even after Robbie has his best games for Liverpool. I don’t believe for a nanosecond that Rafa didn’t want Keane back in the summer and the fact that Rafa has allowed others to now spin this false impression on his behalf in order to better his position vis-a-vis Parry is beneath contempt. If it was obvious to so many of us that Robbie couldn’t win with Benitez then how can you blame Robbie for realizing it himself and taking the only true course open to him. The fact that Liverpool were looking woeful in attack and slipping inexorably down the table while Rafa played his political game should not be overlooed by anyone.
Funny thing how many of us Liverpoodlians(i’m talking about you that are unhappy with Benitez)will be raving if we beat Everton in a couple of days.I also think that most of you(same group)will cry till your throat is dry about “Liverpool’s number 19” if ‘Nando has a tally of more than 15 goals by May.I honestly believe he can do that easily (he had his much needed rest and he’ll be ok).
And if he does, we have a pretty good chance to win the league(i say about 50% if we also beat ManU in Trafford).Now if Torres will end the season with 20 goals or more(not as easy but still…more than possible)i think our chances will go dramatically upwards.
Forget about Keane, he wasn’t needed to begin with (Thanks for the 7 goals lad!).We have plenty of talent upfront. Torres…no comment.Babel is a world class striker about to unveil himself(we know what he can do,he just has to do it more often,like last year).Dirk is the man (proven too often) in hours of need.N’Gog and Nemeth always had the potential, now they will have the chances too.
When Insua returns the team will roll easier again.Big thing to have a player with that much potential and motive as him.Masch must also step up the gear.
I don’t think we have a better option than Rafa. No-one is perfect but he is more than good enough. For me it would be a worse decision to sell Dossena(flop) at that stage given F.Aurelio’s known injury problems.
We should all be behind the team.
You’ll never…..
No point in paying £75k a week in wages for someone to warm the stand… Keane was ok for Liverpool but not £20m worth… maybe given more chances he could’ve come to the fore a bit more but with an on form Torres what chance was there for that… He was the wrong purchase at the time, we all know who Rafa wanted…
There are options in the squad… two striker formation gets played by either Babel or Kuyt playing with Torres and Gerrard dropping back at the expense of Alonso or Masch… also Ngog looks lively…
As far as Sir Eck not getting rid of players, Veron, Stam and Van N comes to mind… not being afraid to cut your losses for the good of the team is a trait only the very best have.
For those that say Rafa should go, then go and watch Man City to see what an inexperienced manager can do with talented players… there are very very few world class managers in club football today who can take teams through domestic and international campaigns, Rafa is one of them and he is LFC.
u see i’ve been a lfc fan all my life and i was never as excited as i was wen i herd keane would be partnering torres . wish you the best keano =]
Why is there all this Rafa bashing going on? do all of you with short memories forget the horrible misses keane had against Atletico madrid or preston north end? forget the disgraceful attitude he displayed whenever substituted?
sorry but i think we are better off without him. we won plenty of games early season without him.
Keane was not good enough for LFC and for all of you who think he could replace torres when injured well he has been injured this season and keane failed to live up to the hype and showed that he can not perform at the top level in preimer leaugue, yes we should have got in another attacker lennon on the right would have been great but redknapp knew he could not afford to let him go and offered bently instead another overhyped player fact defoe and berbatov are both better than keane, remember when spurs had kanoute keane was benched for kanote/defoe partnership and if defoe/berbatov were played as a partnership spurs would not be in the mess they are in now.
THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOO MUCH for the comments made by Anfield Online on Feb 3rd 2009 @ 00:59…..SPOT ON!!!
I can understand most comments and appreciate theopinions of the small minded people who dont really understand football and assume that we have a god given right to challenge at the top…However…FergurSCUM has has 20 years to manufacture teams, mould them, get them playin his way…and without any doubt he has bought sum RUBBISH, jus like benitez….any1 remember VERON?…hmmmmm
However…Torres has been out most of the season…and….who has been deputising?….oh yeah Robbie Keane….Did we win matches?….YEP…did he score….1 in every 4 games yeah he did…prolific?….dont think so!!
Soooo mayb it was his assists?…. 1 in every 7 games!!…hmmm
rite….and this is the player that people are crying over that would have stepped up to the mark IF torres got injured AGAIN this season?…
come on people…are u even watchin the same team?….and for those clowns who av started to BOO the team at anfield when we dont win, and even AFTER we got top of the league….GO SUPPORT TRANMERE, they could go with a few more fans….
RANT over….oh and maybe we will draw all our games now cause iv ranted!!! 😛
Wait till Rafa starts tampering with Carragher and Gerrard(he’s already done that with SG by playing him all over the place)…Then will Rafa be your hero?.I wait for that day.
Rafa is too negative.He will NEVER win the league..Who is Rafa to hold the board and LFC to ransom over a contract? Mourinho did that to Chelsea and got fired.As for his rant at Fergie…that was in breach of his contract.
RAFA …your time is up…move back to Spain where you can play your boring negative defensive type football.
Rafa Benitez should hang his head in shame for what he has done to Robbie Keane.Its such a joke saying Keane dont fit into the system….with a player of that quality Rafa should have adapted his “boring system” to accomodate class.Good luck Robbie…prove that d.ick Benitez wrong.
Rafa should be fired.He is a egotistical tyrant.Look what he got rid of…Bellamy,Crouch,Pennant.Finnan,Keane..all BRITISH players.Wake up Liverpool…he did the same at Valencia.He must GO.He is destroying this great club.He has no time for British players(bar Stevie G and Carragher because they are the mainstay.)Look at the rubbish he has bought…Rierra,Arbeloa,Skrtel,Dossena,Ngog,Lucas……f…k sake.Pleez!He’s pulling the wool over your eyes.He’s a con.
Hey AOL, I am Welsh, and there was no outcry from me when Bellamy left, why? Because he was a loud mouth scumbag who should never have worn the jersey. I am disgusted with the treatment of Keane whose professional and dignified manner throughout this episode is befitting of our great club, rafa take note.
The contempt which that man showed to each and every supporter with his substitutions at the Wigan game will never be forgotten by me and I assume a great deal of other supporters.
Dont let a late victory against the worst Chelsea team in 4 years (and only 10 men at that) hide the fact that we are where we are because Manure and Chelsea are below par this season. I’ll tell you know how far we have come under Benitez: 3 points above Aston Villa thats how far! Maybe O’Neill should come in in the summer, no matter who comes in they would not risk our season as a political pawn they way that man has, he has treated our club and our fans with contempt and for that he can never be forgiven, shame on you Rafa.
From all Liverpool fans Robbie, sincerest apologies (not just Irish Fans as is suggested by AOl’s post) I hope the ignorance of our current manager does not dilute the obvious love which you have for our club.
1. In Rafas preferred syatem (4-2-3-1), Keane was not good enough to lead the line for a title winning side.
2. In Rafas preferred syatem (4-2-3-1), Keane was not good enough to play the Gerrard role, linking the midfield with the lone front man.
3. Rafas preferred syatem (4-2-3-1) has proven to be potent/solid against top opposition (home and away) and weak opposition away (see Newcastle) but proven impotent against mid-table sides, especially at Anfield (Stoke, Fulham, West Ham…i could go on….).
4. Rafs needs to formulate a reliable plan B, where you have to attack more and defend less. In these games, he could probably dispense with Kuyt and possibly one of the holding midfielders in preferance to wingers that can get to the by line and and put crosses in/open up defences.
5. Keane may have found a role in such a system (as part of a front 2) but on balance, i think Rafa had seen enough to realise Keane wasn’t going to provide the cutting edge required of a top 4 (Premier league/Champion league) striker.
6. Better to cut our losses now and better to allow Keane to prosper where the level of play/expecatations are lower.
7. Unfortunately, Rafa would appear to have left himself short of options in the goalscoring department. God bless ‘nando’s hamstrings or we will be crying in our beer come mid-may……
Where’s Crouch gone? Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea, AC Milan, Juventus, Barcelona or Madrid? He’s playing, yet again for a club threatened with relegation. Don’t get me wrong Crouch improved massively at Liverpool, but he just wasn’t up to it and therefore he has found his level. It’s obvious when players have lots of clubs that they aren’t the top players around. How many clubs has Steve Gerrard had? How about Wayne Rooney or Frank Lampard? Good players don’t chop and change clubs every season. When Keane signed for Coventry, Alex Ferguson was asked by the press why he never took a punt at £6m (a record fee for a teenager) Ferguson laugehed it off and told them he’d have only gone for Keane if the fee was £1m. 10 years later was Fergie wrong? I’m not trying to defend the mancs but generally Fergie signs players of quality with the odd exception of course. No different to Rafa.
I think it´s a shame, I really like Robbie Keane and I´m so sad to see him go, how is he expected to score goals when he sits on the bench, even if he had scored the game before, I think it´s strange!
I dont think Rafa ever wanted him, if he did he has showed it in a strange way.
I wish Robbie the very best in the future.
Rafa follow Keane out of the exit door please you are a disgrace you fat nobhead.
I was also very excited at the initial prospect of Robbie coming to Liverpool, but at the same time thought he was overpriced for a then 28 year old. However, i do believe that he was never given a chance by Rafa. I can think of twice when Robbie had scored for us and then the next game he was dropped. Doesnt do the lads confidence much good does it, when it was already at a low ebb.? Robbie is a very good player, and Rafa should have given him more time and games, and tried more to adapt him into the Liverpool system of playing. having said that, we must back the manager who has done so much to make Liverpool into what they are now.(respected and feared). I just hope he has got a plan B now that we are short on strikers? el Tel
Robbies a nice bloke, fan and great player but simply didnt fit in. The past has gone and managers since the glory days have come up with new ways to get a head. Sacking Rafa after turning a very shit side into what we are now would be stupid. Sack Parry and fk those yankee clowns out of town.
I dont think its the right time to let him go. It would have been better a week earlier,coz we would have got time for a backup..! What about the replacement for Keane????
Robbie Keane will do well for mid table clubs like Spurs or West Ham but make no mistake that he was never gonna make the grade at Anfield because he’s not Liverpool class!.It’s not a lack of goals that concerned me rather he made next to no contribution and looked lost in all of his appearances for our great club.Spending £20 million on this very average if not vastly overrated player was daylight robbery to begin with when we could have spent that amount on a far better player.
However if Rafa planned to sell him then why not do so when the transfer window opened giving us time to find a replacement!.Instead he departs on the very last minute leaving us with a lack of firepower upfront.Am i missing something or has Rafa even lost plain commonsense!?.Next he’ll be leaving out both Gerard and Torres for the remainder of the season to further help the Mancs equal our record!.I believe we’ve little chance of winning anything this season and that’s really depressing considering that we’re still in three major tournaments.I’d like to see Pacheco and El-Zhar given chances now but no one knows what Rafa is thinking.
Some of these knee-jerk reactions have had me in stitches. Robbie had 28 games for Liverpool – suggesting he wasn’t given a chance is clearly ridiculous.
Ask yourself two questions.
1) If Torres had been injured a couple of weeks back and out for the season do you think Robbie Keane would have won us the title?
2) Robbie was under contract for 4 years at his ‘boyhood’ club. If he was so determined to prove himself why didn’t he stay and fight for his place? He didn’t have to go back to Spurs at all if he didn’t want to.
Like many players who look good at average clubs – when they join the really big sides they get found out. I for one won’t be losing much sleep because Torres injured or not, Robbie Keane would not have been the man I would have wanted to deputise for him.
Some people need to open their eyes and look how far this club has come under Benitez and exactly where we are in the league right now. Craig Bellamy was as prolific as Keane was – but there was no outcry from the Welsh when he left Liverpool.
Keane’s case is a classic example that not all good player can settle in a new club immediately. Though i might be disappointed with the treatment he received, but to join a club he supported since a club and to let go and back to ex-employer after just months later because he is not settled, prove that he is not a fighter too. Keane is good, but not great. Very disappointed with Keane, but Liverpool too deserve better.
I think Rafa should be ashamed of himself for the way he’s conducted himself in this sorry matter if he never wanted Robbie he should have said so in august but no he took the player to anfield and treated him like a piece of dirt. This is just another chapter in the bickering that goes on between Rafa and Parry and yet again its made LFC look bad. Rafa has gone down in my estimations over his treatment of Keane he’s taken his issues with Parry out on Robbie and now were down a striker as well as a couple of million pounds……well done Rafa thats a good days wheeling and dealing (not)
He is a good player but did not play up to his (or his salary’s) potential. We should have gone after Santa Cruz or stolen Arshavin out from Wenger’s huge nose. And we still need a true right winger…
Benitez supporters who still want to delude themselves into believing that Rafa never wanted keane should read this article in the Times
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/liverpool/article5644979.ece
It is by no means the only one to say this or point out how Benitez has unconscionably tried to mislead Liverpool fans and manipulate the keane situation to his advantage while letting Liverpool slip down the league and fall behind Man Yoo. No wonder Benitez and Tom Hicks get along so well !!!
i suppose half of the people speaking here(the ones that slap Raf)are lame mancs(spit)………… Rafa is the one that can end your reign that the last 3 years is based upon a mental retard(Ronaldo,spit also). At least we don’t spend 80mil on players like (pu)nani,anderson and hargreaves(dead horse racing).with 1/3rd of this budget Rafa bought riera.lucas and masch.and even with less than half the baudget of manu(spitspit) or chelski(lame ruski licking chavs) we still are able to beat you and make you bite your nails out of stress. IF dead scouser tommy will rise again(big if)we will all owe a big deal to the “fantastic” fat red cheeked spaniard….
Keane was clearly a second choice signing after the board refused to sign Barry. Rafa must have had a say in his signing, but when he saw him at close quarters decided that he could not fit in his favoured formation as he is not a disciplined player and likes to drop deep and go left and right – this simply is not acceptable to Rafa, who likes his players to stick to his tactics. I now just hope Torres stays fit until the end of the season because what options do we have, Kuyt – just runs around like a headless chicken and Babel – not strong enough and his heart is not in it. Time to blood some young lads like Ngog, Nemeth and Pacheco
@ Trevor
No you won’t see Sir alex treat a player like that????
He just shoots a booth on a players face ,like he did to becham .who left shortly after the incident, or ask Stam how he was treated by the chewer
I feel for Keane, Raffa didn’t ask for or want him so didn’t play him. It would seem that it that it was Parry’s idea as was the Americans. Parry should go and go NOW as seems to be the person most responsible for mess we are in.
Kev, I dont know how you can can say Crouch was no good. Pennant and Bellamy ok good players but total dicks. But you cant put Crouch in with those two.
sorry to see keane go really thought he would be a star at LFC unfortunately Benitez gets it worng again. We need all the quality players we can get our hands on. Shame for him to go.
Have followed the Reds since the mid sixties, do not think Keane was given a fair chance by Rafa.should have been given a chance to settle in like most players.Sadly do not think Liverpool will overhaul United in the title race
My comment regards to Kuyt and Benayoun can win us the league was not related to their use as strikers but as their real inability to 1) take on – and win other players, 2) intelligence to see a Torres, Gerrard or Ngog run.
I just feel that they are not upto the challenge that we expect. I suppose that is the problem – expectations.
I really appreciate they do work hard but where is the midfield rest bit going to come from? Alonso, Stevie G, Masch seem to work absolute overload in midfield and our wingers need to step up. Reira and Babel both look awesome when up for it.
Ahh just a bit frustrating. Really dont like the fact that no matter what happens manure always seem to be able to get that 1-0 win and we stutter…then play really very well against the top four teams (which mind you in previous years we have struggled)…what is the missing component?
Come on the reds.
I thought Rafa’s treatment of Robbie was pretty disgraceful and just showed yet again how appalling Rafa’s man management skills are even when dealing with model pros. Remember how he dealt with Alonso and Finnan among others. Rafa seems to have a knack for stripping away the confidence of good players so they look like shadows of their former selves whereas the mark of a great manager (like Shanks) is to make ordinary players feel invincible and play accordingly. I don’t doubt Robbie’s underlying quality and in that respect he is markedly different from some of Rafa’s riff raff like Lucas, Kuyt, Ngog & co. Good luck Robbie and all the best.
Whats plan B Rafa?
Has everone gone mad? Benitez has transformed us into one of the most feared teams in Europe. We’ve not been this good since the late 80’s and even then I would have fancied the current side to beat our last title winning team. Benitez has brought us the kind of progress that no manager since Kenny has provided. We’ve gotta trust his judgement. Rafa can be frustrating with his decisions but we’d be making a big mistake sacking him. I’m sure there’s something not quite right about the whole Robbie Keane saga, and until it comes out we should get behind Rafa and the team. By the way, I can’t quite remember David Bellion or Kleberson getting many chances to sign at Man Utd.
As much as you may blame Rafa, it’s a shame because it seems as this was a transfer made by MR.Parry (who should be replace by Daglish), and I believe this is the main reason Rafa is not signing the contract offered to him. Unfortunately Robbie never fitted into the system and never was going to. He is a class player and would like to wish him all the luck.
I still believe that Rafa is the best manager for LFC at the moment.
Everyone is talking about keane leaving liverpool but bear in mind we dont have any backup strikers for to replace torres, if in need .I really hope we can make a swoop before the deadline. We badly need another striker to maintain the pressure on Manutd. Lets hope for the best…
F*~k Off Keane ! was shite anyway, him & bent should av fun together missin loads of sitters !
Just because Robbie Keane grew up supporting Liverpool doesn’t mean to say he was going to make it as a player here.
Shame for him, but he just didn’t fit into our system.
Good luck to the lad for the rest of the season, I always thought the step up for him was that little bit too much for him to cope with.
Financially, it’s good for Liverpool but I don’t believe it was the right time to let him go. Where & how are we going to get a world class striker as secondment for Torres?
best he leave now lucky spurs wanted hoim back as his market value would be much less.just wonder if his skills will return at spurs
I think keane is a gud player but doesn’t fit with our style of play. Lets hope torres comes back to form and then we might win the league.
Good riddance. Keane was never good enough for Liverpool anyway and I think it says everything that Tottenham, a club threatened with relegation, were the only club in for him. even before we got him, when his reputation wasn’t in tatters, we were the only one of the so called big four to be in for him. I think this should’ve set some alarm bells ringing. Always when you sign such ‘journeymen’ that’ve had loads of clubs it always ends in tears. Bellamy, Crouch, Pennant now Keane. None have ever won anything, they’ve all had loads of clubs and they’ve all been offloaded after their limitations have been exposed.
Really disappointed that Robbie’s gone, and have to say in all my years a Reds fan(36 years) I don’t remember LFC treating a player the way they did Robbie.You have to be playing regularly to score goals, you can’t score when your on he subs bench, Rafa broke his confidence and also broke the Liverpool code by having a rant at Fergie.Only the Premiership wil save Rafa
what is rafa thinking ??
although he doesnt fit into our regime
he could be the main asset to liverpool if torres gets injured again
wish u all the best keane
You have to feel sorry for Keane, Benitez has just shown the world how unprofessional he is!
Not only has Keane had to settle into his new club and learn the way the play, the players around him. His main strike partner has been a bit of a sick note so far! Also with a manger who chops and changes the team too much!
You could never See fergusion treat a player like that! He always gives them a chance to shine.
What you have to remember about robbie keane is that he has grown up supporting Liverpool. He followed his dream to play for them!
Instead of Giving Raffa a new contract! I will personally drive him to the Airport!
I wish Robbie all the best (except for the last game of the season of course) He is a good player, but for some reason it didn`t work out at Anfield. I havn`t looked at Spurs fixtures but I hope he finds his shooting boots if they have to play man u (spit) sorry my mouth always taste`s bad when I say those words) and chelsea. Great game against chelsea,
Sad to see Keane go. He wasn’t given a chance by Rafa (who himself should go). He’ll come back to haunt us when we play Spurs later in the season. Good luck Robbie, and thanks for the great equaliser against Arsenal!
I was excited when Keane arrived as well. Unfortunately he has been poor for us and doesn’t fit in to our system. As for your comment about Kuyt and Benayoun – completely invalid bearing in mind neither of them are used as strikers.
Wow you can see we are in the business of making money!!
Shame – was excited when Keane arrived – The prospect of Keane and Torres together (at the positive expense of Kuyt) was something I am sure loads of us were relishing.
Still am sure Kuyt and Benayoun can win us the league…hmmm