Wolves’ Keogh hungry for big-stage success
Then a Scunthorpe player, the young Dubliner scored United’s second goal in a League One 4-0 defeat of Forest at the City Ground but was in for a shock when the international results were announced over the radio.
He admitted: “I was a bit shocked. I would say most Irish people were shocked that day but it’s in the past. We just have to make up for it now. No-one likes to get turned over 5-2. You obviously want to go out and put one over on them. It’s a about personal pride and for the fans as well.”
That wasn’t to be the last time he was taken aback by events surrounding the national side but the surprises since have, thankfully, been of a more welcome variety.
Called into the squad for the first time four months later, just days after making his debut for Wolves against Norwich in the Championship, his selection on the right wing against Germany on Saturday was equally out of the blue.
“It was a great feeling and I enjoyed every moment of it. I only heard (the team) the morning of the game. It was definitely a surprise but I was delighted it happened.
“I thought we deserved to win as we created the better chances. They had a good spell towards the end but we definitely had the better of it and we were unlucky not to win.”
From Scunthorpe’s Glanford Park to Croke Park in the space of 12 months has been a meteoric rise for the man who cut his teeth with St Joseph’s Boys in Dublin before joining Leeds United as a teenager.
He agreed: “It’s definitely happened very quickly. Not just for me. It’s happened to Kevin Doyle as well and he has been a great example to me and other lads. I looked at him when I was playing in the lower leagues and I always felt it was a possibility that it could happen to someone else. He has done brilliantly since he came over to England.”
Heart-warming as Keogh’s rise has been, his inclusion on the right side of midfield last weekend was greeted with some degree of alarm and, though he improved after the break, it was a difficult role for a man more accustomed to leading the line up front.
Admittedly he has had sporadic experience of the position, including a 45-minute spell there for Wolves in their last game against Coventry City. It isn’t exactly a position that dovetails with his day job either and it was no surprise to see Steve Finnan offer a few words of advice before kick-off.
“It is more physically demanding and your positional sense has to be different to a striker’s. You have to make sure you tuck in at times and then get out wide. You are defending and attacking so it is totally different.”
His strike rate of two goals in 12 games this season hasn’t been helped by Mick McCarthy’s request that he deputise out wide on occasion but he is happy at Molineux where the number of Irish players stretches to double figures.
Brought to the club in the New Year by the former Irish manager, he has since been given the number nine shirt which holds iconic status since the days of Steve Bull.
But Keogh is eager to forge his own identity in the Black Country.
“I’m sure I’ll have a good chat with Mick when I get back. He has been brilliant. He took a gamble on me when I was playing for Scunthorpe. I’m grateful that happened and I’m trying to pay him back every week.”
He owes Staunton a similar debt of gratitude but then he isn’t the only one. As Shay Given said this week, a plethora of Irish players have emerged in this campaign that most of the general public here would know next to nothing about. The 2008 finals will have to soldier on with Ireland but Keogh is confident that the new generation has it in them to book a place at the table for the 2010 world games in Africa.
“It’s great to see the young lads come through because they have to come through at some stage. You need new talent and faces for the future. Stan has given the young lads that opportunity. Maybe people before that didn’t give them that chance but Stan is building for the future. It’s a good sign.”
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