Why not all of Spurs’ might be too Keane on Robbie

Robbie Keane this afternoon rejoined Tottenham, the club he left just over 6 months ago. Although he will undoubtedly improve the overall quality of Harry Redknapp’s squad on paper – will the Irish international be welcomed by all at White Hart Lane?
A lot has been written and said about Spurs’ transfer dealings in this latest window, with the return of Jermaine Defoe, Pascal Chimbonda and now Keane – the latter being the most controversial and surprising of the three.

Keane left in the summer after he claimed he wanted to move to a different club to seek trophies, in a similar fashion to his striking partner Dimitar Berbatov. However, he found it difficult to settle at Liverpool, and his omission from the squad for the crunch Premiership game against Chelsea at the weekend was a sure sign his days were numbered.

The fans will take a lot of persuading that Keane’s heart is at the club which he turned his back on. Despite having a scoring record of 80 goals in 197 Premiership appearances for the North London club, the mixed reception which he received when Liverpool visited White Hart Lane earlier this season suggests he will need to hit the ground running, and find the form which attracted interest from Rafa Benitez to win his place in the supporters’ hearts once again.

But more pressing for Tottenham’s relegation battle is the effect their latest transfer is going to have on another returning player – Jermaine Defoe. Defoe left North London with a heavy heart, with the need for first team football and his desire to fight his way back into the England set-up forcing him to move south and join Portsmouth – largely due to Keane keeping him out of the team. It was no surprise after Harry Redknapp moved to Spurs that Defoe would not be too far behind, and his promising return looked as if he was to be a crucial player in Tottenham’s fight against relegation.

However, just as Defoe has begun to look settled, the return of his nemesis for two seasons might spark a dressing room revolt. The England international – who interestingly is the only one of the three returning Spurs to cost more on his come-back than his departure – may well feel betrayed and disillusioned by the fact that if Redknapp follows the lead of his two predecessors, he will be set for more time on Tottenham’s bench than in the starting eleven. Defoe’s position is even more vulnerable given his recently diagnosed foot injury that will see him sidelined for at least three weeks, while Keane is likely to attempt to reassert his position as a Tottenham’ hero.

The Tottenham hierarchy will argue that they have successfully strengthened their attacking options, which were left weakened by Keane and then Berbatov’s deadline day move in September – which they have undoubtedly done – and that the return of both Defoe and Keane will add to the hunger and competitiveness of the squad which has perhaps been lacking.

For Defoe it is an unfortunate cruelty: one which could lead to a rift in the dressing room; or what Redknapp and the rest in N17 hope for – an inspired Defoe who will produce his best form which has warranted his now many big-money-transfers; and help to see Tottenham safely maintain their Premiership status.


Will Gilgrass - 2nd February 2009