Robbie Keane isn’t done with the game quite yet

Robbie Keane ended a spectacular six-year run with the Galaxy. He said then he wasn’t done and this week, he was back in the news with word of his next adventure.

Keane has signed with Atletico de Kolkata of the Indian Super League. Keane had been a free agent since departing last November.

Kolkata is managed by Keane’s former Tottenham Hotspur teammate Teddy Sheringham.

“At this stage of my career, the offer to experience a new league and culture in Asia appealed to me,” Keane said. “To join the current Indian Super League champions is a great pleasure and through hard work, I hope to bring the ATK fans more success and enjoyment over the course of the 2017/2018 season.”

 

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Robbie Keane’s letter to Galaxy supporters

It was announced Thursday that Robbie Keane would not be returning to the Galaxy to the 2017 season after six seasons. Here is his letter to Galaxy fans:

LA Galaxy Supporters,

I can confirm that after five fantastic years I will be leaving the LA Galaxy. It’s been a

Los Angeles Galaxy forward Robbie Keane celebrates after he scored a goal against the Seattle Sounders in the first half of an MLS soccer match, Saturday, July 9, 2016 in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Los Angeles Galaxy forward Robbie Keane celebrates after he scored a goal against the Seattle Sounders in the first half of an MLS soccer match, Saturday, July 9, 2016 in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

privilege to have played my part in the history of such a great club and I leave with memories that will stay with me forever. Winning three MLS Cups, scoring over 100 goals for the club and being named as 2014 MVP are all achievements that I will look back on with pride, it’s been an incredible experience, I’ve truly loved every minute of my time at LA Galaxy.

However, I believe that now is the right time for a new challenge as I look towards the next chapter of my playing career. I still feel as fit and sharp as ever and I am looking forward to my next adventure. Having now retired from international football I am ready to focus everything I have on one last major challenge in club football and will be taking time out to consider my options before announcing my next move.

I would like to thank everyone at the Galaxy including the board, manager and all of my teammates for their incredible support during my time in LA. Finally, I would like to thank the most important people at the club: the fans. Thank you for welcoming me as one of your own and for helping to make LA such a special place for both me and my family.

The city has become my second home and I will never forget the unbelievable backing you’ve given me during my time at the Galaxy. The great times we have shared will stay with me forever. I look forward to watching the club continue to grow and progress in the coming years. It’s been an honour to captain your team and I am so proud of everything we have achieved together. Thank you for everything.

Thanks,

Robbie Keane

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Galaxy notes: Lineup changes are coming for Sunday’s regular season finale

The Galaxy wraps up the regular season Sunday against FC Dallas. While the game means a lot for FC Dallas (they’re in the hunt for the Supporters’ Shield), things are the opposite for the Galaxy.

The Galaxy is locked into the third-seed and will be home for the knockout-round, Oct. 26 galaxyor 27.

Bruce Arena that the lineup that he sends out will have a different look.

“Clearly, we’ll play a few different players, how many remains to be seen,” he said Wednesday.

Three players we will likely not see are Robbie Keane (hip flexor), Steven Gerrard (hamstring) and Gyasi Zardes (foot). Keane and Gerrard stayed behind and didn’t make the trip to Houston last week. Zardes has been rehabbing from his foot surgery.

“They’re making progress,” Arena said. “When they’re able to get back in remains to be seen.”

 

 

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Robbie Keane scores in his final international match with Ireland

Robbie Keane had the perfect ending to his international career. Keane started for the Republic of Ireland and scored a goal in the 4-0 victory over Oman.

Keane scored in the 30th minute in his 146th appearance for his national team. He also wore the captain’s armband.

https://twitter.com/LAGalaxy/status/771065652161355776

 

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Robbie Keane announces retirement from international competition

Galaxy forward Robbie Keane announced Wednesday morning that he is retiring from international duty with the Republic of Ireland national team, following next week’s international friendly.

Keane was selected to roster for the Aug. 31 game against Oman at Aviva Stadium in Robbie+Keane+returnsIreland. That will be his final game. Keane is Ireland’s all-time leader in goals (67) and appearances (145) over 18 years. He made his international debut in 1998 at the age of 17.

In a statement posted on his Facebook, Keane said:

“Today, I am announcing my decision to retire from international football following the
upcoming game with Oman on 31st August in the Aviva Stadium. It has been a wonderful journey for me to have played with the Irish international team for over eighteen years.”

“It has also been a great honor, for both me and my family, to have been given the opportunity to captain my country for over ten years. I have been on the most incredible journey with the Irish team and fans over the last 18 years and words cannot express how proud I am to be Irish.”

In his career with Ireland, Keane appeared in the 2002 World Cup and the 2012 and 2016 European Championships.

In this statement, he also stated his desire to continue his club football playing. His contract with the Galaxy reportedly expires in January.

“While this is the end of my international career, I hope to continue to play for some years yet. I love my time playing with LA Galaxy and intend to focus my energies on continuing my club football for a few more seasons.”

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Robbie Keane can’t wait to get back on the field

Monday marked the five-year anniversary of Robbie Keane’s signing with the Robbie+Keane+returnsGalaxy.

If he would have had his way, he would have celebrated by scoring a couple of goals in a victory against Colorado, Sunday.

Instead, Keane wasn’t available, having gone through the league concussion protocol following an orbital bone fracture in a collision against the New York Red Bulls, Aug. 7.

Wednesday, before the team departed for New York and today’s visit to Yankee Stadium to face New York City FC (Noon/ESPN), Keane wasn’t pleased about having to sit out.

“Could I have played the weekend?” Keane asked. “I should have been. I should have been playing that game. I don’t care about a fracture. That’s part of football. You get knocks in football, you get whacks. If I get another whack will it hurt? Yes. If I get a whack without the fracture will it hurt? Yes. So, there’s no difference to me whether I get a whack or not.

“That’s part of the game. It’s a man’s game and you just have to accept it. I definitely would have been able to play some part on Saturday, but it wasn’t to be.”

It would be impossible to keep Keane off of the field today. He returned to training late last week and could play with a protective mask today.

With Keane on the field, this match-up is as star-studded as any in the league. NYCFC, led by David Villa (Spain), Frank Lampard (England) and Andrea Pirlo (Italy), is currently in first place in the Eastern Conference. Factor in the play of midfielder Thomas McNamara and Jack Harrison and you have one of the league’s best attacks.

The Galaxy should have its full assortment of Designated Players as well, with Giovani dos Santos, Frank Lampard and Gerrard.

“It seems like every week that we play a game it is always rivals or against big name players,” Keane said. “For us, this is just another game. Of course there’s a lot of quality and top players, so certainly for the fans, it is a game that excites everybody, but for us, we just have to go into every game like it is just another game.”

Keane and the Galaxy are currently on a nine-game unbeaten streak and enter the week in third place in the Western Conference on 38 points.

For as potent as the NYCFC attack has been (43 goals), the defense has been troubling. The second-year club has allowed 43 goals, most in the league.

“If we approach the game with the right mindset and right mentality, there’s no reason why we can’t get something from the game,” Keane said. “The pressure is on them, they’re on top, they’re playing well at the moment and so are we, so it is going to be an interesting game.”

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Friday Galaxy Gameday: Robbie Keane is back and he’s scoring goals

gameday

Robbie’s back and so are the goals.

Since returning to the Galaxy from international duty with Ireland in the European Championships, forward Robbie Keane has scored two goals and both games ended in victories for the Galaxy, moving the team into a tie for third place in the Western Conference heading into tonight’s contest against the Houston Dynamo (StubHub Center; 8 p.m.).

“Score goals, win games, that’s my job to do that,” Keane said Wednesday morning from training. “I never find it difficult to come back and transition. If I keep performing every time I come back, then obviously I’m doing my job.”

Keane is second on the club with six goals entering Friday. He hasn’t wasted much time in his return scoring. His goal against Vancouver (July 4) came in the 12th minute and in the 15th minute Saturday against Seattle.

Will he continue his scoring streak tonight?

Here are some game day links to get you ready for tonight:

Nick Green’s weekly column

Galaxy confident of second-half charge

Nigel de Jong’s suspension extended one more game

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Robbie Keane named to MLS Best XI for fourth straight year

Photo by Steve McCrank/Staff photographer

Photo by Steve McCrank/Staff photographer

Galaxy forward Robbie Keane was selected to the 2015 MLS Best XI on Sunday, the league announced. It is his fourth consecutive Best XI selection after earning the nod in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

Keane was the league’s third-leading goal scorer (20) and set a Galaxy career high in goals scored, despite missing significant time due to injury. He also tallied eight assists this season and set a league record with 0.87 goals per 90 minutes played, which was the highest mark for any player who recorded over 1,000 minutes.

MLS BEST XI

Goalkeeper – Luis Robles (New York Red Bulls)

Defender – Laurent Ciman (Montreal Impact)

Defender – Kendall Waston (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)

Defender – Matt Hedges (FC Dallas)

Midfielder – Benny Feilhaber (Sporting Kansas City)

Midfielder – Fabian Castillo (FC Dallas)

Midfielder – Dax McCarty (New York Red Bulls)

Midfielder – Ethan Finlay (Columbus Crew SC)

Forward – Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto FC)

Forward – Kei Kamara (Columbus Crew SC)

Forward – Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy)

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Robbie Keane on Ireland, LA and his career

Galaxy captain Robbie Keane.  (Photo by Brittany Murray / Daily Breeze)

Galaxy captain Robbie Keane. (Photo by Brittany Murray / Daily Breeze)

 

As Robbie Keane leads the team into the playoffs, I wrote about the Galaxy’s captain’s life in L.A. and just how a kid from Dublin becomes the king of the Galaxy.

An excerpt:

Even now each goal, each assist feels just as sweet as it did when Keane was a 17-year-old making his professional debut.

“I think that (feeling) is why things have gone well for me here,” Keane said. “That’s why I continue to want to score goals, wanting to do well for the team, wanting to get assists. If I continue to keep doing that, I can play here for a long time, there’s no question about that.”

 

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Four LA Galaxy players among top 20 in MLS jersey sales

Galaxy's Steven Gerrard celebrates his first MLS goal against the Earthquakes in a MLS soccer game at the StubHub Center, Friday, July 17, 2015, Carson, CA. The score at halftime was tied 2-2.Los Angeles Galaxy vs. San Jose Earthquakes.Photo by Steve McCrank/Staff Photographer

Galaxy’s Steven Gerrard celebrates his first MLS goal against the Earthquakes in a MLS soccer game at the StubHub Center, Friday, July 17, 2015, Carson, CA. The score at halftime was tied 2-2.Los Angeles Galaxy vs. San Jose Earthquakes.Photo by Steve McCrank/Staff Photographer

After signing with the Galaxy in January and joining the team in July, it didn’t take Steven Gerrard long to become a fan favorite.

The English midfielder had the second best-selling MLS jersey this season, coming in with the best-selling jersey among Galaxy players. Seattle’s Clint Dempsey topped the list for the second straight year.

Galaxy captain Robbie Keane came in 11th, with LA forward and U.S. national team member Gyasi Zardes coming in 15th. Giovani dos Santos, the Galaxy’s newest signing, came in 17th on the list.

See the full list below:

Continue reading “Four LA Galaxy players among top 20 in MLS jersey sales” »

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