Keane on taking it to the next level

THE Sunderland headlines this week might be all about El Hadji Diouf, and perhaps a couple more fetching up on Wearside but, back home for his club’s pre-season friendly against Cobh Ramblers in Turner’s Cross on Monday, Roy Keane was never going to escape without being asked for his view about the big Irish transfer news of the week — his former international team mate Robbie Keane’s move to Liverpool.

“Robbie’s a good player without a doubt,” said Keane, “and hopefully he’ll go on to the next level now because he’s been probably slightly behind the really top, top players. Then again, Tottenham aren’t bad, but if you go to Liverpool they’re expecting to win titles and European Cups, whereas at Tottenham maybe that wasn’t the case. So it’s a big challenge for him but I’m pretty sure Robbie will cause us problems like he did last year. He scored against us at White Hart Lane — even though the keeper should have saved us.”

Keane had his own Irishman topping the scoring charts in Turner’s Cross, Anthony Stokes netting a brace in a 4-0 win over Cobh, which also saw his compatriots Roy O’Donovan and Daryl Murphy on the scoresheet.