Robbie Keane: Encyclopedia II - Robbie Keane - Club career

Robbie Keane - Club career

Keane started his football with South Dublin schoolboy side, Crumlin United F.C. where his talent was recognised at an early age. As an U-10 schoolboy he was paid 50p a goal, and was soon being watched by scouts from a number of English professional clubs, including Premier League side Liverpool. However, he turned down Liverpool to join Wolves, reasoning that he had a greater chance of breaking into the first team at the First Division side. He made his first professional appearance in 1997, and played at Molineux for two seasons, making 88 appearances and scoring 29 goals, before a £6M transfer to Coventry City in 1999, a then British record for a teenager.

After a successful season at Coventry, where he scored 12 goals in 34 games, he had become one of the hottest properties in English football, and was being courted by many of the biggest clubs in football. In the end, he was signed by Marcello Lippi of Internazionale for £13M, where he teamed up with the likes of Ronaldo, Christian Vieri and Alvaro Recoba. However his dream move to Italy soured when Lippi was sacked soon after Keane arrived, and Lippi's successor, Marco Tardelli deemed Keane surplus to requirements. Keane's ambition refused to let him stagnate in Italy, and he was loaned out to Leeds United in December 2000.

His Leeds career got off to a cracking start, scoring 9 goals in 14 starts before the Leeds manager, David O'Leary, made his loan deal permanent in May 2001 at a cost of £12M. The following season was not so bright, and he found himself dropping down the pecking order. His form suffered and he only managed 10 goals in 36 appearances. Meanwhile, Leeds' financial troubles were forcing the club to sell many of its players, and Keane joined the exodus when he was sold to Spurs just before the 2002-03 transfer deadline, where he still plays.

Upon signing for Tottenham, the Spurs manager Glenn Hoddle said Keane was ideally suited to Tottenham and could make White Hart Lane his spiritual home for years to come. He repaid this faith with some outstanding displays, earning the club's Player of the Year awards in his first two seasons at Tottenham. He bagged 13 and 16 goals respectively in those first two seasons for Spurs.

. His third season, 2004-2005, was more frustrating. Despite finishing with his highest return of goals in a season for Tottenham, 17, he played second-fiddle to Jermaine Defoe for much of the season, though in the 2005-2006 season, he has regained his place in the team, and even taken the captaincy.

He is a firm fans favourite, and is regarded as a great professional. Hoddle once said of Keanes personality. "Hes such a bubbly lad that anyone who meets him loves him, he is great for team spirit" Edgar Davids and Keane were involved in a training ground fight, but since the pair have publicly made up and can be seen encouraging each other on the pitch.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Club career", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki