Keane clinging on as second Spurs exit beckons

ROBBIE Keane may have hung on to the Tottenham captaincy despite his role in the infamous Christmas party in Dublin – but he could still be on his way out of White Hart Lane next month.

Keane was made team skipper when he rejoined the club from Liverpool in January this year but that status was thought to be under threat after he and 15 other players went against manager Harry Redknapp’s orders to avoid festive celebrations by flying to Dublin in secret two weeks ago.

Keane, whose weekly salary of just under €80,000 makes him one of the club’s top earners alongside Ledley King and Jermain Defoe, managed to avoid losing the captaincy but few would be surprised to see him leave the club for a second time.

Boss Redknapp confirmed Keane was still the captain of the side.

He added: “I have spoken to all the players about it [the Christmas party] and it has been sorted out.”

Keane’s return to Spurs was initially a success as the Dubliner helped Spurs avoid relegation comfortably.

But his form has been patchy this season, with Peter Crouch preferred alongside top scorer Defoe in attack for the recent victories over Manchester City and Blackburn, and Sunderland and Celtic are both thought to be interested in signing the 29-year-old.

The players involved in the Dublin jaunt held a tense meeting with Redknapp at their Chigwell training base. Rather than being fined, the 16 are thought to have agreed to donate to charity, which will go to projects supported by the club’s community arm, the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation. Spurs claim the players will have a say in which charities benefit.