Keane set to keep Spurs captaincy

HE may have been the instigator of that now infamous Christmas party, but it looks as though Robbie Keane will retain the Tottenham captaincy.

On Friday Spurs launched disciplinary proceedings against Keane and 15 other first team players who travelled to Dublin for a Christmas party nearly two weeks ago.

Furious manager Harry Redknapp warned that those involved would be sanctioned.

“It was wrong and it will be dealt with. Severely. It will be dealt with,” said Redknapp on Friday.

“I’m not happy, I’d be lying if I said I was happy. I didn’t know anything about the trip at all if I’m perfectly truthful but it’s done now and will be dealt with on Monday morning.”

Redknapp’s remarks led to speculation that Keane would face the stiffest sanction and could be stripped of the captaincy.

However, Redknapp held a meeting with the players involved at Tottenham’s Chigwell training complex yesterday and it is understood the matter was resolved amicably, with a donation being made to charity as a result.

The captaincy was not thought to have been an issue during the meeting. However, the controversy has undoubtedly strained relations between Redknapp and Keane, given the Tottenham manager was initially told by the Ireland captain that the players were going to Dublin for a golfing trip.

The revelation that the players had instead visited two bars and a nightclub was a huge embarrassment to Redknapp, who recently denounced Christmas parties and insisted his squad would “never take the liberty’’ of holding one without his permission.

The controversy comes at the end of what has been a difficult year for Keane, who has struggled for form since rejoining the London outfit from Liverpool 11 months ago.

And given Redknapp’s preferred partnership up front is that of little and large duo Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch Keane’s long-term Tottenham future remains uncertain.

Keane has been strongly linked with a move to Celtic, possibly on an initial loan deal, but Bhoys manager Tony Mowbray has claimed that the Dubliner’s wage demands could be too high.