Pain-free Keane insists team comes before goal records
The fear had been that his move to Los Angeles in 2011 would curb those attacking instincts. That the advancing years would suck the energy from his legs. Not so. He has managed 19 goals for the Galaxy even if some consider it to be his semi-retirement.
Yes, Saturday’s hat-trick brought an end to a year or so without an international goal, but the fact remains that, for all his faults, you wouldn’t want any other Irishman facing Manuel Neuer tomorrow with the ball at his feet.
“His movement is unbelievable and he’s going to keep scoring,” said another namesake, Robbie Brady. “I can’t imagine him not being able to score a goal. He’s flying again. To start with a hat-trick inside 16 minutes is just unbelievable. Just brilliant stuff.”
Keane’s conversion rate has been criticised before but he could hardly have done much more two days ago, even if he shrugged off plaudits and talk of records by pointing out that he wouldn’t be jumping around his hotel room in celebration.
“It was nice to score three goals but the points were the main thing. I said before the game in the huddle that the important thing for us was to get that goal as early as possible to settle everyone down even if it was a game that we were expected to win.
“These games can be tricky. I watched [Friday] night’s game between Holland and Kazakhstan and Holland struggled for 70 minutes to break them down.
Keane’s dismissive talk of goals and records was pretty standard, but he betrayed the competitive animal when asked if he regretted not matching Paddy Moore and Don Givens’ record of claiming four goals in one game for their country.
“I’m sure Don Givens would like to have 65 goals,” he replied.
He’s 34 now. It is an age where midfielders tend to drift back down the field to less punishing quarters, but there can be no gentle retreat for a striker and Keane’s ability to stay more than relevant at the sharp end is testament to his desire.
Playing pain-free for the first time in two years helps as well.
“I feel great, I struggled for two years with the Achilles injury and it’s just nice to play a game and not come off the pitch being hardly able to walk and then wake up in the morning struggling to walk.”
Yet it is hard to make a definitive case against the argument that Keane – for all his goals, his experience and his status — should not start tomorrow’s encounter against Germany from the bench.
Martin O’Neill’s Ireland has yet to start any fires, but the side has at least displayed a willingness to play more football than that of Giovanni Trapattoni’s and maintaining possession will be crucial in the attempt to nullify Germany’s threats.
Anyone who saw Keane plough a lonely furrow up front during the 2012 European Championships, for instance, will know that the lone striker role away from home against quality opposition is not his forté.
Enter Shane Long.
The Tipperary man’s career has long since aped that of Kevin Doyle’s: from his move to Reading from the League of Ireland, right through to his usurpation of his Wexford colleague as Keane’s first lieutenant with Ireland.
Like Doyle, however, his stock has dipped somewhat at international level, in his instance due to an inability to capitalise on a relative abundance of chances, but he remains tailor-made to meet Ireland’s needs.
His pace, willingness to drag defenders into the corners and hold on to the ball while reinforcements muster would be of greater worth and O’Neill’s willingness to chop and change – something Trapattoni never countenanced – leaves us wondering.
“Giovanni had success with his way,” said Keane. “Towards the end we didn’t, but this is why we have a squad of players and I think it’s important that everybody is ready because you never know when you are going to be called upon.”
