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Keane was less than impressive in Ireland's opening game. John Walton/EMPICS Sport

Captain fantastic? Here are the pros and cons to dropping Robbie Keane

There has been much debate recently over whether the Irish skipper should be dropped.

IF THE KNOWING smiles from Giovanni Trapattoni and Robbie Keane at the Gdansk pre-match press conference are to be taken at, literal, face value, then it seems highly likely that the captain will start as the lone front man against Spain.

But, given the tenor of some of the debate, it seems that may well prove an unpopular decision.

As such, we’ve decided to go through the pros and cons of Keane’s place in the team.

For

  • With 53 goals, Keane has scored the same amount of goals as the rest of the Irish squad put together. What’s more, many of the goals have come in the country’s biggest occasions: the 2000 trip to Amsterdam, the 2001 play-off against Iran, the 2002 World Cup match against Germany, the last-minute penalty against Spain, the two play-offs under Trapattoni. If Ireland do get a rare chance against Spain, who would you want it to fall to?
  • Whatever way you look at it, Keane remains the most famous name in the team. And, although this is football as opposed to show business, this can have a subconscious effect on opposition defenders. It creates a fear factor, a reference point. Even if it means defenders paying him a bit more attention, that frees space elsewhere.

Against

  • At what point does a milestone become a millstone? Look at Raul. He was Spain’s top scorer but it wasn’t until Luis Aragones made the brave decision to drop him that the team changed direction and embarked on this incredible winning run. What’s more, how much is a past record a guide to future success? At 31 and not quite as mobile as he used to be, Keane hasn’t scored in five games. It’s his longest drought for Ireland since 2001. Of late, too, the likes of Shane Long have looked sharper in front of goal. The legitimate question is, if Keane isn’t offering goals, what is he offering?
  • This is the real point with Keane. He’s always been an individualist; never fully fitted into a system. Again, that was a compromise worth accepting when he was scoring goals. Now that he’s much less mobile, however, it’s effectively like playing with 10 men. The other forwards in that squad are much more used to the bustle necessary to play as a lone front man. Surely they’re more ideally suited?

Read: Ireland will ‘fight from first moment to last,’ says Alonso>

Read: Ireland have more than just an ‘aerial game’ – Del Bosque>

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    Mute jrbmc
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    Jun 13th 2012, 11:01 PM

    We won’t get many chances tomorrow night so we need a player that when a chance comes he’s scores or at least hits the target and makes the keeper work bloody hard to keep it out. I would start with Long and Walters .Doyle is a grafter aswell but hasn’t scored for a while either.

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    Mute Keith
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    Jun 14th 2012, 12:58 AM

    Robbie is our man any of you who think we should start with him on the bench haven’t a clue,he’s our top scorer,has scored the goals at the top tournaments before unlike any other goalscore’er we have plus he has a presence that other defenders know he’s good and will have to be on there toe’s against him,Doyle couldn’t score against Waterford united right now,Walters needs 10 chances a game before he scores and long just ain’t good enough against what we are coming up against in the next few games..silly debate if you ask me.

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    Mute Tensing Norgay
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    Jun 14th 2012, 8:09 AM

    Haven’t a clue Keith , you know a guy is past his sell by date when all you hear from the MLS is that Keane got an “assist”let’s hope he gets one tonight but even so it a what cost , Walter’s , long , cox will give more to the team , let’s not forget if he had stayed in england he’d be a championship player now .

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    Mute Graham Carrick
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    Jun 14th 2012, 11:16 AM

    Saw Long’s wife with Robbie’s on the beach yesterday and Long’s is slightly hotter so he should start ahead of Robbie based on that solely.

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    Mute Gus Lynch
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    Jun 13th 2012, 11:25 PM

    He’s only 31?! Fkn hell. Looked like an oul’ lad on Sunday.

    Still would be inclined to start him tomorrow – only if he does his job properly though. Give blood and guts for 45 mins to an hour, and swap him out then.

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    Mute Sam slade
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    Jun 14th 2012, 1:10 AM

    target the penalty area with long bombs and sneak a penalty. if my calculations are correct, we will have the ball for 9.65 minutes. using our patented 3 pass and bang it into nowhere technique. this should give a Spanish defender enough time to climbbover/mistime a tackle on robbie. make friends with the ref, and anytime theres a hard tackle against us, get up and make light of it, even shake the hand of the spaniard trying to cripple us. unless its in the box. there, we go down like a ton of shit. simples.

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    Mute fizi_water
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    Jun 14th 2012, 8:14 AM

    LOL that was funny :-)

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    Mute Nigel Farrell
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    Jun 13th 2012, 11:16 PM

    Doesn’t matter who starts. Me thinks we’re fooked!

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    Mute Ronan Mulhern
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    Jun 13th 2012, 11:26 PM

    Aragones could drop Raul because he knew he had many quality players to replace him and who could play more for the team than he ever did or could. To compare this with the Ireland-Robbie Keane situation is fatuous and wrong.

    53 international goals for a team of our stature is simply astonishing – more than any England player for example. Keane has done as much as anyone to get us here so for me it’s a no brainer.

    This debate is a little pointless anyway. Trap will pick him. End of. And unlike many of his decisions, it WILL be the right one for a variety of reasons.

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    Mute Adrian de Cleir
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    Jun 13th 2012, 11:40 PM

    What’s impressive about the 53 goals is that it is higher than France, England, Holland, Spain and Italy (gotta love wikipedia)

    All teams who would be top seeds meaning they’d be playing easier teams on average than we would (in that they would less likely be facing each other)

    And to add to that we have been in less tournaments than the rest of those teams, meaning less games.

    Not saying that’s a reason to pick him, but impressive nonetheless.

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    Mute jrbmc
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    Jun 13th 2012, 11:06 PM

    We won’t get many chances tomorrow night so we need a player that when a chance comes he’s scores or at least hits the target and makes the keeper work bloody hard to keep it out. I would start with Long and Walters .Doyle is a grafter aswell but hasn’t scored for a while either. So maybe it’s time for a change

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    Mute Mick Jones
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    Jun 14th 2012, 12:15 AM

    Pro: he’s not
    Con: he is

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    Mute colm connolly
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    Jun 14th 2012, 1:25 AM

    Okay I’ve been saying it for a while but the only thing Doyle can’t do lately is score , so drop him into midfield drop one of Andrews or whelan(take your pick there both rubbish) and play Walters with keane, of keane ain’t doing anything by 55mins off he goes for long also Gibson should start alongside Doyle (drop the 2 useless fools in the centre) also start with mcgeady and duff and take either off after 60 mins for McLean or hunt, put o’shea into the centre Kelly on the right and drop st.ledger, that’s my idea and in sticking to it

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    Mute Alan Doherty
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    Jun 14th 2012, 4:12 AM

    how many bucks u planning on starting…??

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    Mute colm connolly
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    Jun 14th 2012, 10:02 AM

    Given
    Kelly o’shea dunne ward
    Duff gibson Doyle mcgeady
    Keane Walters

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    Mute Ciaran McMahon
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    Jun 14th 2012, 7:25 AM

    I would start him against Spain but if he is rubbish after 45mins I would sub him off

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    Mute fizi_water
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    Jun 14th 2012, 2:34 AM

    OMG sorry for my ignorance but never knew his age, but 31 is bit shocking, honestly thought he’s approaching 40. Definitely should play 1st half then and then see what happens, but I would give him another shot anyway. Look what Schevchenko did and he is 35. Robbie may have best times behind him, but I think may still shine and there’s not really anyone else his calibre anyway, I doubt Ireland will get plenty penalty area chances so as others said, has to be somebody able and confident enough…

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    Mute fizi_water
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    Jun 14th 2012, 8:20 AM

    Also on another note look at Ronaldo he almost took away chances for Portugal to advance, bit of luck and last minute substitute saved their game against Denmark. Apart for stupid tricks miles before defenders Ronaldo is useless. And he supposed to be what no 1 or 2 in the world, joke? I wouldn’t be too harsh for Robbie then…

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    Mute Lisa Sin
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    Jun 13th 2012, 11:47 PM

    Obviously !

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    Mute Thomas Mc Grory
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    Jun 14th 2012, 12:24 PM

    He is useless

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    Mute James Ohare
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    Jun 14th 2012, 12:18 PM

    Win, lose or draw please just don’t interview him after the match…it’s too painful to listen to him mangle his language.

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    Mute Gerry Donaghy
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    Jun 14th 2012, 9:24 AM

    he was better before he married so blame the wife

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    Mute Soundofmusic Disco-Hire
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    Jun 26th 2013, 12:41 AM

    It’s always good to play Robbie as long as he’s fit then it’s gotta be done not many players can score goals and have a goal scoring record as good as Robbie Keane should he be a lone striker i would suggest not he;s not that good to be able to take on the whole Spanish defence on his own he’s no Messy http://www.soundofmusicmobiledisco.com

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    Mute Kevin O' Brien
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    Jun 14th 2012, 10:54 AM

    against: he is far more likely than any irish player to score, regardless of form :)

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    Mute Martin Wilson
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    Jun 14th 2012, 11:39 AM

    Sorry Kevin, gotta disagree. Surely our tallest player is the most likely to score because the only way we are goin to score against Spain is from a set piece. With the Spaniards higher work rate and closing down we will be lucky to string 2 passes together to get near their goal.

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