Life after Keano

By: Gary | July 29th, 2008

A day after star striker Robbie Keane left Tottenham to join Liverpool, let us wipe away all the hysteria and false dawns of his departure.

Let us face the music, there will be life after Keane. There simply has to be. But do not be fooled by a 5-1 friendly win at Norwich City.

I promise you all there will be life after Robbie but a controlling pre-season performance away at one of the Championship’s struggling sides last season does not mean we are anywhere near that point yet.

Any team would struggle to replace such an influence figure as Keane. The Irishman was a dazzling striker, a leader in our ranks and Tottenham through and through, or so we thought.

Not to take anything at all away from Darren Bent’s superb showing on Monday night, but a four-goal haul at Carrow Road is not even a fraction of the void Bent or indeed a new addition will have to fill next season.

I could go on all night about what we have lost in the sale of Robbie Keane. In fact even £20 million does not fill in the hole his departure has left in our squad. Keane’s move to Merseyside is an absolutely crushing body blow, let us make no mistake about that.

But we must move into our new era now. And while Juande Ramos has gradually taken us into a new direction, I think the loss of Keano will force us into a fresh start. We have lost our talisman. We have lost the player we built our attacking prowess around. We have lost one heck of a player.

But we have not lost our heart and soul. We have not lost the badge on our chest. We have not lost it all.

“No player is bigger than the club,” springs to mind, but Keane to Tottenham is about as important as they come nowadays.

But Keane’s departure opens new doors for others. Darren Bent has already provided us with an impressive glimpse and what he can do when offered an opportunity to shine. More of the same in the new season and it will not be very long until we change our tune entirely.

Right now there is a feeling of defeat but all good things must come to an end. And after six glorious seasons with Keane at the head of our attack, let us draw a line under his fine Spurs career.

Fans are brave and I expect the wounds from Keane’s transfer to heal in quick time.

The arrival of a quality replacement would be the perfect tonic and with plenty of funds in the kitty, it is time for Ramos to spend his money wisely.

The pressure is already on the Spaniard to come up trumps in the striking department. And it is only a feeling which will intensify if Dimitar Berbatov completes his switch away from White Hart Lane too.

So, there are the implications for Spurs, but what about Robbie?

I cannot hide the fact that I feel a little short -changed from his exit, coming just eight weeks after the Irishman confessed he would be happy to play out his playing days in Spurs colours. Obviously even happier to end them at Anfield though.

I am not bitter about his transfer, just disappointment like all of us. But deep down I can understand his decision.

Keane is a 28-year-old footballer and if he had pledged the rest of his playing days to Tottenham, would he ever have enjoyed the taste of Champions League football again, or would he ever have had another crack at the title.

At Liverpool, Keane has the chance to end an already cracking career in real style.

You just have to take one look at what Michael Carrick has achieved since leaving N17, to see what lies beyond the boundaries of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.

Why should we neglect Keane of one last crack of ultimate triumph, for a concept we call “loyalty”.

Hasn’t Robbie been loyal enough? He has scored over 100 goals in our colours and has brought us many of our fondest Spurs memories. And now it is time for him to be selfish.

Opportunities like this do not come along every day and by his own admission, Keane could not let this chance pass him by.

Some fans will hold a grudge I am sure, but Robbie Keane has been a truly outstanding player for us in recent years.

He will always hold my respect and I look forward to seeing him back at White Hart Lane next term.

Good Luck Robbie… You’ve been immense!