Another international break is upon us this week. Ireland will play three international fixtures in a congested six-day period. First up is an eye-catching friendly against England in Wembley Stadium. Ireland, who will be heavy underdogs, will play a star-studded English side this Friday at 8 p.m. The other two fixtures will take place in the Nations League competition. On Sunday, Ireland will travel to Cardiff to face Wales at 5 pm in a must-win game. Stephen Kenny’s side will finish the international break with a final Nations League fixture against Bulgaria in the Aviva Stadium next Wednesday at 7:45 pm. Kenny has yet to win a match with his new Irish side since taking over from Mick McCarthy. Once again, the downfall for this Irish team is the lack of goals being scored at the opposition end. Since Kenny has taken over, Ireland has netted only one time in five games.
This is an obvious problem for the international team and it has been since Robbie Keane retired in 2018. How lucky were we to have a goal scorer as consistent as ”Keano”? Supporters can look back now and see just how much he offered for our country down through the years. One thing is for sure, there will never be another Robbie Keane. A one in a million player to put on the green jersey.....
”Keano, Keano” would echo throughout the stadium every time the Dubliner would step out onto the pitch. When goals looked doubtful, that man ”Keano” would come to the rescue. The potent poacher was the answer to Ireland’s goal-scoring problems.
Robbie Keane last minute goal V Germany - 2002 World Cup - https://youtu.be/VIexE4B1GHY
Robbie Keane scored 68 goals in 146 appearances for the Republic of Ireland. What a goal-scoring record for a player who gave his team a genuine threat up front. The all time leading Irish goal scorer will go down in football history for both club and country. The former Spurs striker became a proven goal machine amongst Europes most elite players when he joined the premier league’s 100 club (100 league goals) in 2008. Keane is also the joint fifth-highest European international goalscorer of all time. Robbie Keane - Irish Goals - https://youtu.be/BLoR1_cNPxg
Aaron Connolly, Troy Parrott and Adam Idah (to name a few) are the up and coming strikers of this generation in Irish football. After David McGoldrick’s retirement last week, these youngsters will be called upon sooner than expected with the World Cup qualifiers reportedly beginning in March 2021. Can we expect these young players to be consistent goal-scorers for our national team? The answer remains to be seen but as Irish supporters, we certainly hope so.
Robbie Keane was an all-time great for the Republic of Ireland national team. He was always a finisher we could rely on to pop up with a goal. While we wait to see who can fill ”Keano’s” boots, this is an appreciation article about an Irish ”legend” who gave many memorable moments for supporters during his time in the green jersey. Robbie Keane - a goal-scoring genius.
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