Former Tottenham Hotspur and Republic of Ireland striker Robbie Keane has announced his retirement from professional football. Keane, 38, scored a record 68 goals in 146 international appearances and was recently named as part of new Republic manager Mick McCarthy's backroom team. The former Republic captain scored 325 goals in 737 appearances for 10 clubs during a 23-year playing career. Keane retired from international football in 2016. "Today, after 23 wonderful years, I am formally announcing my retirement as a professional footballer," Keane said in a statement. "From Crumlin United around the world to the likes of Milan, London and Los Angeles, I could never have imagined the path my football life would take. "It has exceeded all the hopes I had as a football-mad boy growing up in Dublin." "Leaving home at 15 years of age to pursue my professional career in England seems a lifetime ago now. I was a street footballer full of hope armed with huge ambitions and a determination to succeed. "All I needed was that one chance.I would like to pay a special thanks to Wolverhampton Wanderers for believing in me and giving me that chance." Distinguished club career He enjoyed two successful spells as a player with Spurs, and his other clubs included Inter Milan. Leeds United, Liverpool, Celtic (on loan) and LA Galaxy. "From Wolves, my professional career followed a path that took me far and wide, giving my family and I the opportunity to meet and work with so many wonderful people and experience several different countries and cultures. "I have always wanted to test myself and strive to be the best that I could be, so I embraced new challenges be it at Coventry City, Inter Milan, Leeds United and then possibly the most successful period of my club football career with Tottenham Hotspur. "I had the great privilege to represent and captain Tottenham over 238 games. I had many wonderful times there and I will look back on my days at White Hart Lane with great fondness. The club will always hold a special place in my heart. "There were shorter times spent at Glasgow Celtic and Liverpool, two truly iconic global institutions, and then West Ham United, before Los Angeles became our home away from home. We spent five hugely successful and rewarding years, both on and off the field, with LA Galaxy. "After a spell with Aston Villa, my playing career concluded with an exciting few months with ATK, a club which also gave me my first experience of management. "Playing and captaining my country has been the highlight of my career. I enjoyed every moment of the most incredible journey with the Ireland team over an 18-year period and as I have said many times before, words cannot express how proud I am to be Irish. I hope I have made the fans proud wearing the green jersey and armband. ————————————- Happy retirement Keano, fantastic player for us. Legend can get banded about a bit too easily these days but he’s certainly earned that status amongst us (even if he did temporarily **** us off for Liverpool!!!).
It's good to see that he acknowledged every club that he played for in his statement, even when it may not have worked out for him there. His partnership with Berbatov was a joy to watch, even if they did both **** us over afterward. Hopefully the club will put together a highlights video of his time at the club now.
Weeeeeeeeee Weeeeeeeeee Pap pap pap Tadaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa please log in to view this image Robbie Keane...we salute you
He was lucky to play for all 10 of his boyhood clubs Great player, shame him and Berbs didn't stay with us. Have to wish him all the best.
His ‘defection’ to his boyhood club was embarrassing at the time, but to be fair to him, he acknowledged his feck up and came back - which says a lot about the man. With hindsight, for me it’s difficult to be too critical of either Robbie or Berbs.
One can look back on most ex Spurs players with affection with one notable exception. Where the Fek is Macclesfield?
And here’s the new one... https://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnati...-goal-highlight-uefa-youth-league-inter-milan
Looking a real special talent. Even before we signed him I saw his name crop up in places suggesting he was a future star. Only seen him play live once though at the moment... And he got sent off
Meanwhile, in the French fourth tier, Reo Griffiths hasn't even made the bench for Lyon B this season. That moved worked out well for him, didn't it?
I liked Keane but imho I can not regard him as a spurs legend because of how he left for Liverpool. It was announced at Wembley at ht yesterday and his name was politely applauded but nowhere near like how Defoe would have been. Hope he has a successful time with ROI national team and hope he comes to the new WHL one ht (or two).
Fully understand and even somewhat agree to an extent. When he left I was devastated, felt like he really done us over especially as we knew Berba’s heart was set on a move as well. Although he did kind of make up for it by returning in the very next window (albeit looked a fraction of the player, Pool ruined him). Plus, he’s still one of the club’s top scorers and did give a combined total of around 8 or so of his best years to the club. So I’d still say he’s a legend, although he’s at or near the bottom of the “legends list” for me.
He’s not a Spurs legend. Going to Liverpool and then coming back six months later ruined my love for him.
Keano was a fundamental part of the MBJ revival. He was a leader on the pitch and scored a hatful of goals and as I remember anyway always gave 100% on the pitch. I’m prepared to view the brief defection to Pool after 5 or 6 years with us as an aberration and look at the 80 goals in 197 games and then 11 in a further 40 after his return as evidence of his commitment toTHFC. FFS - looking at his career otherwise, he was a feckin’ sporting butterfly, flitting from club to club..... That all falls into the (lower level) Legend category for me.
Good player, but his reputation has been massively enhanced by his longevity for Ireland and the records it brought. He should have stayed at Spurs and not gone to Liverpool. That was the best part of his career. It was downhill after 2008 even though he did relatively well in the U.S
