29/07/2008 Daily Mirror
Nice man! Keane has shown he didn't hesitate to speak up to Vidic. There will be plenty of those now that you're with LFC. Because LFC hates Man.U....Ian Rush says Keane can be like Kenny Dalglish. Lawro says he is not the goal-scorer Liverpool need. Rafa Benitez has signalled his title intent with the audacious capture of Robbie Keane.
But many critics believe the Liverpool manager has taken what amounts to a £40million gamble on his own Anfield future by spending so much money on a 28-year-old.
Keane will complete his move to Merseyside today in a switch from Tottenham that will cost around £18m, with an extra £2m in add-ons, dependent on success.
The striker has signed a five-year deal worth around £80,000 a week, which would net him a staggering £20m over the course of the contract, and effectively double Liverpool's outlay.
Benitez brokered exactly the same sort of deal to bring Fernando Torres to the Premier League last season, but that was hardly a gamble given the player's tender years and reputation as the most exciting young striker in Europe.
Had Torres failed at Anfield the Liverpool boss would at least have recouped much of his outlay by selling him back to Spain, with the very real chance of getting his money back.
No such prospect exists with Keane, which is why Spurs were so eager to sell at such an inflated price. If he fails over the next two years, then the Irishman will be 30 - and would command only a fraction of the fee Liverpool have paid.
So why has Benitez gambled by spending so much money on a player who is looking at his last big move in football?
The simple answer must be that he believes Keane is the last piece in his title-winning jigsaw.
To spend such a massive fee on a relatively old player demands success. Nothing less in fact, than delivering the Merseyside club's first title in 19 years.
What is so remarkable about the Keane deal is that it is such a departure from the Spanish coach's usual policy. Since arriving at Anfield in 2004, he has brought in more than 50 players. And yet more than half of those are youngsters between the ages of 15 and 20.
Even his big-money buys have been with the future in mind. The four players who have cost more than £10million - Torres, Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano and Ryan Babel - were all 23 or under, and all have improved their sell on value.
Keane is such a radical departure from that policy that it is clear the manager sees him as a vital ingredient.
He was offered support in that assessment yesterday by Anfield legend Ian Rush, who can see similarities between the Irish striker and his former Liverpool partner Kenny Dalglish.
"Keane is a creator, just like Kenny was. He scores goals, but he creates a lot of goals too, and that will be good for Liverpool," Rush explained.
"I really loved playing with Kenny Dalglish because he always knew when to feed the ball to me. Keane can play that role for Liverpool because he has good vision and a good sense of the space around him - and that will suit Torres down to the ground.
"I'm a big admirer. He gets goals but I think for the Liverpool team, it's his ability with the hold-up play that is the key because he can bring Torres even more into the game." But others are not so certain. Only Chelsea of the big four clubs spend big money on older players, and they have enjoyed only indifferent results from such a policy.
Even Manchester United, with their millions, are reluctant to spend huge money on players past their resale date, with manager Sir Alex Ferguson always reserving his greatest outlays on players under the age of 25.
Yet Benitez seems to have abandoned that policy completely, given his pursuit of Gareth Barry, who is also 28 and likely to cost £18m.
The Mirror's own columnist Mark Lawrenson remains distinctly unconvinced by the capture of Keane, not least because he is worried about the striker's record in front of goal when it really matters.
So why has Benitez gambled by spending so much money on a player who is looking at his last big move in football?
The simple answer must be that he believes Keane is the last piece in his title-winning jigsaw.
To spend such a massive fee on a relatively old player demands success. Nothing less in fact, than delivering the Merseyside club's first title in 19 years.
What is so remarkable about the Keane deal is that it is such a departure from the Spanish coach's usual policy. Since arriving at Anfield in 2004, he has brought in more than 50 players. And yet more than half of those are youngsters between the ages of 15 and 20.
Even his big-money buys have been with the future in mind. The four players who have cost more than £10million - Torres, Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano and Ryan Babel - were all 23 or under, and all have improved their sell on value.
Keane is such a radical departure from that policy that it is clear the manager sees him as a vital ingredient.
He was offered support in that assessment yesterday by Anfield legend Ian Rush, who can see similarities between the Irish striker and his former Liverpool partner Kenny Dalglish.
"Keane is a creator, just like Kenny was. He scores goals, but he creates a lot of goals too, and that will be good for Liverpool," Rush explained.
"I really loved playing with Kenny Dalglish because he always knew when to feed the ball to me. Keane can play that role for Liverpool because he has good vision and a good sense of the space around him - and that will suit Torres down to the ground.
"I'm a big admirer. He gets goals but I think for the Liverpool team, it's his ability with the hold-up play that is the key because he can bring Torres even more into the game." But others are not so certain. Only Chelsea of the big four clubs spend big money on older players, and they have enjoyed only indifferent results from such a policy.
Even Manchester United, with their millions, are reluctant to spend huge money on players past their resale date, with manager Sir Alex Ferguson always reserving his greatest outlays on players under the age of 25.
Yet Benitez seems to have abandoned that policy completely, given his pursuit of Gareth Barry, who is also 28 and likely to cost £18m.
The Mirror's own columnist Mark Lawrenson remains distinctly unconvinced by the capture of Keane, not least because he is worried about the striker's record in front of goal when it really matters.
Lawro believes that - with all the financial problems at Anfield - Benitez should be reserving his funds for a genuine world class striker to support Torres, and he wonders if Keane fits that particular bill.
"Personally, I don't think Liverpool have the players that can score the goals to give them the title," he explained.
"Obviously, Fernando Torres got 33 last year, but that wasn't enough to even sustain a title challenge, never mind win it.
"That was because they drew too many games where they didn't have the firepower to win them. My point is, who is going to make sure that if Liverpool go all out to win games that they will score the goals to ensure it happens?
"And what if Torres falls over at Sunderland on the opening day of the season and is out for months?
"Keane is a good player, but quality though he is, he's more of a streaky scorer. He'll go on a run and get 10 in 10 but then that's half his average season's tally gone in one go.
"He can't guarantee the kind of regular goalscoring Torres was making a habit of last season, and I think Liverpool need a top class scorer to support him."
Whichever way it is viewed, £40m on a player who will be worth nothing in a couple of years is a massive gamble, but one that Benitez is unafraid to take.
Former Liverpool and Ireland defender Phil Babb, who was once a team-mate of Keane's, believes that the striker will offer the club the magic to win the title.
"Robbie is such a skilful player; quick and with the ability to get the fans on their feet," he explained.
"I would go as far as to say that he would be the closest thing Liverpool have had to Robbie Fowler in his heyday.
"Robbie had that ability to get in behind defenders; he could score tap-ins or from long range - Keane can do that too."
But if Keane flops at Anfield, it is Benitez's head on the block.
"Personally, I don't think Liverpool have the players that can score the goals to give them the title," he explained.
"Obviously, Fernando Torres got 33 last year, but that wasn't enough to even sustain a title challenge, never mind win it.
"That was because they drew too many games where they didn't have the firepower to win them. My point is, who is going to make sure that if Liverpool go all out to win games that they will score the goals to ensure it happens?
"And what if Torres falls over at Sunderland on the opening day of the season and is out for months?
"Keane is a good player, but quality though he is, he's more of a streaky scorer. He'll go on a run and get 10 in 10 but then that's half his average season's tally gone in one go.
"He can't guarantee the kind of regular goalscoring Torres was making a habit of last season, and I think Liverpool need a top class scorer to support him."
Whichever way it is viewed, £40m on a player who will be worth nothing in a couple of years is a massive gamble, but one that Benitez is unafraid to take.
Former Liverpool and Ireland defender Phil Babb, who was once a team-mate of Keane's, believes that the striker will offer the club the magic to win the title.
"Robbie is such a skilful player; quick and with the ability to get the fans on their feet," he explained.
"I would go as far as to say that he would be the closest thing Liverpool have had to Robbie Fowler in his heyday.
"Robbie had that ability to get in behind defenders; he could score tap-ins or from long range - Keane can do that too."
But if Keane flops at Anfield, it is Benitez's head on the block.
No comments:
Post a Comment