How Robbie Keane could end up as Scotland's Player of the Year

[ian1964 10,668]

Where were you Robbie ? :spl:

 

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm2ci4ckfRM&feature=PlayList&p=7C4023F695675C00&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=8]YouTube- Rangers 1-0 Celtic 28/02/2010 Edu Goal[/ame]

[ian1964 10,668]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2soXAGT8dGM]YouTube- CELTIC V ST MIRREN 0.4 (SACK TONY NOW)[/ame]

[Super_Ally 0]

Did he not play in that Killie game right after he signed, where hilariously they went from saying he was going to guarantee them the title to despair in 24 hours.

 

They spent outwith their means to get him in a desperate bid to get back into the title race and their plan was left in tatters in the very next game; leaving them with a very expensive signing for a lot of friendlies.

[Dr Preston Burke 0]

We experienced the same thing with Frank de Boer, though to be fair he wasn't on 65 grand a week

[Super_Ally 0]

We experienced the same thing with Frank de Boer, though to be fair he wasn't on 65 grand a week

 

Genuine World Class defender versus over-hyped potato!

[ian1964 10,668]

Did he not play in that Killie game right after he signed, where hilariously they went from saying he was going to guarantee them the title to despair in 24 hours.

 

They spent outwith their means to get him in a desperate bid to get back into the title race and their plan was left in tatters in the very next game; leaving them with a very expensive signing for a lot of friendlies.

 

 

 

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gugq9S1cag&feature=related]YouTube- Keano here to save Celtic[/ame]

[ian1964 10,668]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6_9qsYxigE]YouTube- ROBBIE KEANE JOINS CELTIC[/ame]

[Super_Ally 0]

Thinking about it more I can't actually fathom this piece at all.

 

The only reason they absolutely obliterated their wage structure was to get back into the title race. They fucked that with the very next game.

 

They're further behind in the title race than they were before he came.

 

He didn't score against Rangers.

 

He was part of the 0-4 St Mirren team that got Mowbray the sack and for about the millionth time this year finally confirmed they'd thrown away any chance of getting back in the title race.

 

He only scores against diddy teams, same as Boyd that no one rates.

 

Half of his goals have come against Kilmarnock in 3 games.

 

I think Esplin has been asked to write (or chosen to write) something to stir debate and controversy and get peopel talking about his paper and his article. I guess that's pretty obvious though. That's all journo's do these days. No decent reporting anymore.

[stewarty 1,943]

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Robbie Keane has bagged 11 goals from 11 games since joining Celtic at the end of the January transfer window and Ronnie Esplin argues that his short time in the SPL should not hinder his chances of picking up the top award.

 

Robbie Keane is an irrelevance. A populist signing to attempt to placate the throng of dissent and to get punters coming back to the San Giro. It failed. Get over it.

 

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Voting for the Scottish Football Writers' Association's player of the year will commence next month ahead of the May 9 awards dinner in Glasgow and if Robbie Keane continues with his scoring form over the next few weeks then he will mostly likely get my nomination. So what if he only arrived at the end of January?

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Mmmm, the Scottish Football Writers' Association's player of the year. I repeat, the year! Not 11 games, the full season. It should reflect which player you think has had the biggest influence over the entire season and its outcome. Over Keane's 11 game spell so far, Celtic have dropped even further behind Rangers and disgraced themselves with a woeful results against Kilmarnock and St Mirren. Some influence that boy has, eh Ronnie?

 

I offered that thought to some colleagues on Saturday after the Irishman scored a well-taken double against Kilmarnock at Celtic Park to take his tally to 11 in 11 since he signed on loan from Tottenham and received some puzzled looks.

 

And for good reaon Ronaldo, his signing has made not one jot of difference to the outcome of the league. He's scored 11 goals, but not when they counted. They didn't get him a goal in the Old Firm derby, nor the Killie or St Midden defeats. I make that 9 points his lack of goal scoring prowess has cost you. Y'know, when the chips are down and you need someone to drag the team out fighting - HE WAS POSTED MISSING!

 

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How can a player who has only played for six weeks so far be the best player in Scotland this season, was the general feeling.

 

Indeed. You should listen to your colleagues. They have other flaws, but listening to your pish doesn't seem to be one of them.

 

Quite easy. Keane is streets ahead of anyone we are watching at the moment. Most games have appeared little more than a training ground exercise for the Republic of Ireland skipper while he awaits his return to England and indeed, if there is any criticism that can be levelled at him is that he has not yet reached 20 goals.

 

Streets ahead of whom exactly? The way its going, you'll be behind Dundee United by the end of the season. Really all your saying is that, by his supposedly masterful standards, he is underperforming....Whaddaya think of them apples Ronster?

 

Having seen most of his games since he arrived north of the border, I believe that to be a conservative figure given the chances he has passed up or had saved.

 

Right, so he wasn't good enough to score? Are you sensing a pattern here, Ron?

 

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He may still reach that figure, certainly if a Celtic side free from the pretence of chasing Rangers and with Neil Lennon in charge, dominate games in the way they did against Killie.

Would it be an indictment of the SPL? Probably. But, again, so what?

 

So now you want the player of the year to be decided based on games which occur after its been pretty much decided? Your argument becomes more and more bizarre the further I read it.

 

Have we forgotten our club's European results earlier in the season? Our champions are strolling to their second successive title having shrugged off their worst-ever result in Europe against a hitherto unknown Romanian outfit whose name most people could still not spell.

 

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There was me thinking that Celtic had a sparkling post-xmas run in Europe there, inspired by Robbie Keane.... No, wait.... my head hurts....

 

I am aware of the arguments against Keane's nomination other than the brevity of his stay. He didn't play well against Rangers at Ibrox. Agreed, but he was given no service. He is Robbie Keane, not Diego Maradona.

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He got no service in what is probably Celtic's most crucial fixture of the season and he isn't Diego Maradona...... Dear oh dear. Was the lack of service he saw due to a particularly effective and defensive and midfield performance by some Rangers POTY candidates? Were you on the sauce writing this stuff?

 

He played in the Celtic team which cost Mowbray his job when they lost 4-0 at St Mirren. Yes he did and indeed played poorly that night. But you can't blame Keane for Mowbray's desperate tactics which left the Parkhead side with six strikers on the pitch fighting for space found only in abundance in the Hoops' defence.

 

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So Jobbie Keane got Mowbray the sack. How does that make him a POTY candidate?

 

He was brought to help Celtic win the league and that won't happen. Agreed again but if it weren't for his goals against Dundee United and Falkirk in particular, the Parkhead side might be contemplating the disastrous possibility of finishing third.

 

So his only positive is that he helped prevent Celtic from being over 20 points behind at this stage of the season? :shakeshead:

 

They might not be looking forward to an Active Nation Scottish Cup semi-final against Ross County either.

 

You betcha Ronnie - they'll be cacking it when the mighty County come to town!

 

The football writers, by common consent, are not spoiled for choice this season. Motherwell keeper John Ruddy has impressed and once again Rangers striker Kris Boyd has come up with the goods although he is going through a barren spell at the moment by his high standards.

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So there are plenty of worthy candidates, yet you can't bring yourself to consider them because they're all Rangers players? I can sense the bitterness eminating from your words...

 

Although we tend to go overboard in this country when we see a midfielder who can control the ball with ease and pass it to a team mate, Steve Davis has risen above the rest in prompting the Ibrox side towards the SPL title.

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Finally, some realism.

 

However, Keane is simply a class above. There is no one better in Scottish football than the Irishman.

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Pish. He is not a better goalkeeper than Allan McGregor. He is not a better defender than Boughie or Weir, nor a better midfielder than Davis.

 

He is mobile, intelligent, mentally sharp and can make and score goals. Is he to be penalised because he has not played as many matches as others? Do we overlook his contribution in order to mask the inadequacies of our game?

 

Are you attempting to mask the Celtic team's inadequacy by overstating Keane's individual contribution? IT MADE NO DIFFERENCE.

 

In microcosm, if an interval substitute scored a second-half hat-trick to win a game would we refrain from naming him man-of-the-match because he had only played 45 minutes?

 

No, because he made a decisive contribution to the outcome of the match. Keano has not had that influence over Celtic's season.

 

Keane hasn't got my support just yet. I'm siding with Davis at the moment and Boyd is also in the frame. However, if I don't vote for the Celtic striker it won't be due to length of service.

 

So what exactly are you saying? That you agree your whole article is pish? I'm surprised your editor lets you do anything other than make tea. :box:

[Zappa 0]

I couldn't give a rats arse who wins this farcical award. It's been won so many times by undeserving players that it's not worth caring about any more. The final straw for me was Caldwell winning it - what a joke.