The curious case of Rafa's eject button

Robbie Keane

Traditionally, big money signings start out being adored by their fans. The goodwill gradually expires, and eventually, by the time said player moves on or retires, their reputation is irrevocably damaged. Yet there once was a striker, bought for a considerable sum approaching £20m despite his advancing years, who saw his career go the other way: this is the curious case of Rafa’s eject button, hastily pressed to end Robbie Keane’s brief Liverpool career and seal a return to the club that sold him just six months earlier.

Many pondered why Liverpool bought Keane at all, let alone for such an eye-watering price-tag. The club’s owners had baulked at a similar figure for Gareth Barry, pinpointed by coach Rafael Benitez as essential to his team’s progression, because they doubted his resale value, yet had no compunctions when buying a player six months older.

Many pondered why Liverpool bought Keane at all, let alone for such an eye-watering price-tag.

Furthermore, Liverpool were at their effervescent best last term when Steven Gerrard floated behind Fernando Torres. Barry would have added finesse in midfield, but it was difficult to understand how a second forward figured in Benitez’s plans. A glance at Liverpool’s squad at the start of the season revealed just how little firepower Benitez deemed necessary: behind the totemic Torres stood only Keane and the young, unproven David Ngog, with Dirk Kuyt, Ryan Babel and Steven Gerrard all capable of filling in as forwards but preferred elsewhere.

Criticism continued as Keane struggled for his new team. Despite long runs in the side prompted by injuries to Torres, it was November before Keane scored his first goals in the league, securing a brace at home against West Bromwich Albion. But perversely, as time wore on and Keane’s actions on the field pushed the boundaries of acceptability for a Premier League forward, let alone one that cost £20m – scuffing simple shots, missing open goals – opinion began to favour him.

Despite the Shevchenko case of 2006, few believed such a sharp player could become this bad practically overnight. The reasons for Keane’s performances had to lie elsewhere. Was it, as predicted upon his purchase, that the player excelled most in the kind of conventional strike partnership that appears anathema to Benitez? The manager himself never seemed sure of his intentions for Keane: after the game against West Bromwich, he boasted that “the competition now with Torres will be better for the team,” yet also suggested that “if [Keane] plays with Torres…he can be a threat.” Was Keane purchased as Torres’ foil, or his fall-back?

...perversely, as time wore on and Keane’s actions on the field pushed the boundaries of acceptability for a Premier League forward, opinion began to favour him.

No player could help but benefit from public sympathy after such treatment. Benitez’ behaviour towards Keane would suggest that he did not sanction parting with so much money for his services, yet it is clear that Keane had no role in defining his price-tag. With 5 goals in only 17 appearances Keane’s record is far from shameful, and despite rarely completing a full 90 minutes and frequently being spurned for Ngog (who, incidentally, is yet to score in six games for Liverpool), few could doubt Keane’s commitment to the team he grew up supporting. Nevertheless, he was deemed incapable of succeeding at Liverpool by Benitez, yet most fans still believe that a few more goals and a tad more confidence would have brought back the instinctual, predatory Keane seen only fleetingly in a Liverpool shirt, as with his blistering finish at the Emirates Stadium in December.

Now back at Tottenham, Keane has been rewarded with the captain’s armband, a unanimously popular decision within the squad. His stock is at an all-time high, precisely when his transfer value is at its lowest since his first transfer to Spurs. Should Keane make his second debut in this weekend’s tempestuous North London derby, all eyes will be watching the man on a footballing journey that is now literally in reverse.

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