Mowbray expects goal a game from Keane

TONY MOWBRAY has backed Robbie Keane to double his goal tally before the end of the season.

The Celtic striker’s second-half penalty in the 3-0 SPL win over St Johnstone at Parkhead on Saturday was his ninth goal in nine games since arriving on loan from Tottenham at the end of January.

With nine SPL games remaining, and an Active Nation Scottish Cup semi-final against Hibernian or Ross County to come, Mowbray is expecting a continuation of the theme.

“A goal a game? I think so,” the Hoops’ boss said. “He could have scored more than the penalty kick against St Johnstone. Most goalkeepers seem to be inspired against Robbie and there were a few good saves against him but I’m sure the chances will continue to come.

“Like all top strikers he is looking to score goals and I’m sure he will continue to score goals in the last nine games or whatever is left.”

Mowbray revealed that Keane’s strike partner against Saints, Paul McGowan, had “cemented” his place in the first-team squad with his performance in what was his first SPL start of the season and he believes the 22-year-old could be a perfect foil for the Republic of Ireland star.

“Keane has shown me that he is the type of player that plays on the shoulder of the last defender,” the former Hibernian and West Brom boss said.

“You either have a big guy who Robbie can play off, or you have a guy like McGowan who is half-striker, half-midfielder and who can turn and slide the ball between the gaps.

“Robbie showed that while there were numerous offside decisions that were marginal, there are one or two in the 90 minutes where he is through one-on-one with the goalkeeper.

“It is trying to find the balance to the team.”

Teenage defender Josh Thompson scored his first goal for the Hoops since signing from Stockport last summer to give them a half-time advantage before Keane netted the penalty to effectively end the contest.

Substitute Georgios Samaras, on for Marc-Antoine Fortune, completed the scoring with three minutes remaining as the Parkhead men went to within 10 points of SPL leaders Rangers, albeit having now played a game more.

Keane also confirmed he intends to start next season back at Tottenham.

“I’ve got a three-year contract at Tottenham so I will go back there in the summer,” he said.

“It’s just a loan move and always has been. I’ve got a lot of friends down at Tottenham and I miss the lads – I speak to them all the time and they are doing well.

“I also miss the tea ladies – they are very good down there!”

Harry Redknapp added: “I don’t see us loaning Robbie out again. We paid a lot of money for him. So it’s not something I see happening. It would obviously be up to the chairman but I couldn’t see it being a possibility.

“I certainly would not want it to be happening. Robbie’s only on loan until the end of this season as far as we’re concerned. We want him back so in my mind there’s no way of another loan deal.”

* KENNY MILLER’s late header gave nine-man Rangers victory over St Mirren in a dramatic Co-operative Insurance Cup final at Hampden.

The game exploded in the 53rd minute when Ibrox midfielder Kevin Thomson was deservedly sent off for a needless and lunging tackle on his St Mirren namesake Steven Thomson.

Then teenage defender Danny Wilson was also red-carded for a last-man challenge on Buddies substitute Craig Dargo, leaving the Govan side two men short for the last 20 minutes.

But with seven minutes remaining, Scotland striker Miller rose in textbook fashion to head substitute Steven Naismith’s cross past Paul Gallacher and complete the first part of a possible treble for Walter Smith’s men.