Did Robbie Keane get a fair crack of the whip?

[Paul]

Regardless of whether you rated him or not, or are happy to see him go or not, what do you think?

[ScottyT]

If he's being sold after a few months, then obviously not.

[el nino laff]

I think overall he didn't get a fair chance! Rafa stuck with him when he was missing sitters but as soon as he started to show a bit of form he dropped him! Wait till you see Robbie get a load of goals at spurs now as we all now he finishes the season better FACT

[KevieG]

He didn't get a fair crack of the whip and was used as a pawn by the manager to score points in his personal battles within the club. That said, its best for him and us that he goes now.

[dalglish2rush]

If he's being sold after a few months, then obviously not.

 

agreed

[Strontium]

Not even close.

 

Fernando Morientes got a year and a half - I don't think you could say his performances were that much better than Robbie's.

[Carra_is_legend]

No. He never got a fair chance at Liverpool.

 

To me, first 3/4 months is a honeymoon period for any player who we sign. I start to judge him only after that. Unfortunately, in Keane's case he was often substituted and kept on bench and he never had the continuity that he craved to make an impression.

 

I think it is clear as daylight that Rafa wanted him gone after a few weeks. I'm sure he wanted to sign him and I can't understand for the life of me on why he was treated so badly.

 

Good luck to the lad. He must have been buzzing back in July at the prospect of playing for his boyhood club, along with Gerrard and Torres. But, it has turned into his worst nightmare.

 

I don't want to hijack this thread to yet another anti-Rafa thread, but I just hope and wish Rafael Benitez goes through this kind of political backstabbing atleast once in his career. I just want him to know how it feels to treat a professional like he did with Keane.

[1892-LFCWasBorn]

No.

 

Disgracefully treated and not for footballing reasons.

[Hand Shandy]

No. He never got a fair chance at Liverpool.

 

To me, first 3/4 months is a honeymoon period for any player who we sign. I start to judge him only after that. Unfortunately, in Keane's case he was often substituted and kept on bench and he never had the continuity that he craved to make an impression.

 

I think it is clear as daylight that Rafa wanted him gone after a few weeks. I'm sure he wanted to sign him and I can't understand for the life of me on why he was treated so badly.

 

Good luck to the lad. He must have been buzzing back in July at the prospect of playing for his boyhood club, along with Gerrard and Torres. But, it has turned into his worst nightmare.

 

I don't want to hijack this thread to yet another anti-Rafa thread, but I just hope and wish Rafael Benitez goes through this kind of political backstabbing atleast once in his career. I just want him to know how it feels to treat a professional like he did with Keane.

 

Klinsmann???

 

Oh, and in response to the question, no he didn't but it's best for all concerned to cut their losses and move on.

[Macca74]

No, but he must go!

[Paul]

I'd be interested to read the reasoning behind the yes responses.

[Ian Sea]

Not for me. I would have loved to have seen him and Torres given a lengthy run in the side to see what they could have done. That option hasn't been available for much of the season due to Torres being out though, and now it looks like we won't be seeing it again.

 

I also would have liked to have seen Keane behind Torres in a 4-2-3-1 with Gerrard pushed back into midfield in home games against sides who put 11 men behind the ball. I'm not saying I'd want that all the time but it would have given us an extra dimension in my eyes.

 

Overall I'm disappointed that Keane is going, I've liked him for years and thought he'd be a "proper" Liverpool player.

[ScottyT]

If Benitez had admitted he got it wrong and Robbie was not the player he needed, and would be better if he went back to Spurs with our blessing, then I'd accept that. But instead he decided to use him in own personal battles with the club and publically humilated him over the needs of the team.

[Section_31]

Absolutely not, and I don't see how anyone could seriously suggest otherwise.

 

Here for half a season, 50 minutes here, 60 minutes there, chopped, changed, no partner, seemingly no intructions at times either.

 

When I think of some of the players we've percevered with down the years, it was a totally baffling situation and the lad has been well and truly fucked over.

[t1971]

Cant get a fair crack in 6 months. Every player needs at least a year to settle in.

[Faustus]

Of course he didn't. To spend £20m on a player and ship him out after six months is disgraceful. He's hardly completed 90 minutes for the club and when he looked to have found a bit of form over Christmas with decent performances and 3 goals in 2 games against Arsenal and Bolton, he soon found himself out of the side.

 

I thought Crouch was treated disgracefully last season, but the way Rafa has dealt with Keane has taken the piss.

[Carra_is_legend]

Klinsmann???

 

Good shout but Rafa is still our manager isn't he?

 

When I said backstabbing I meant Rafa getting put to pieces by a political battle and then losing his job.

[ScottyT]

I take it those who voted yes didn't want him in the first place?

[Brownie]

I wonder what the reaction would have been if Rafa had decided to sell Lucas after 6 months? People are still saying that Lucas needs time etc.

[t1971]

I take it those who voted yes didn't want him in the first place?

 

Even if you didnt want him in the first place, surely you would still have to admit he didnt get a fair go at it??

[WaltonRed]

He didnt.

 

I wont even have any reasoning off anyone that he did because the way he was treated was beyond woeful and something I used to think we were above.

 

He has been used a pawn in a political power struggle and it stinks.

[1892-LFCWasBorn]

I just want him to know how it feels to treat a professional like he did with Keane.

 

Done the same with Crouch and Babel, who were both not "political pawns".

 

Any wonder why Ryan couldn't give a flying fuck when he gets on the pitch?

 

He knows even if he scores a triple hat-trick, he probably won't play the next match or for the next month.

 

Then there's Dirk...

[Hand Shandy]

Good shout but Rafa is still our manager isn't he?

 

When I said backstabbing I meant Rafa getting put to pieces by a political battle and then losing his job.

 

Give it time.

 

Some people on here may well get their wish soon.

[jackofdk]

If he had put away just half of the clear cut chances he got, then he would be on at least 15 goals by now and most probably still be here. So even though I think Rafa treated him harshly and he ended up a pawn in a game of politics, I think he did have a fair chance at Liverpool FC.

 

And it was disgraceful the way he complained to the referee after falling over because he failed to hit the ball.

 

The worst part - apart from him being a massive red - is the fact that he is a great finisher on his day. But I have never seen a player with so far between his best and his worst finishing, and if you haven't sorted that out by 28, then you're probably not good for a big club.

[Red-Ed]

Obviously not - but it's quite clear he doesn't fit into the first team and is not a first choice starter. Therefore it's best to sell him why his value is still reasonably high.

 

As for those comparing him to Lucas - it's a silly comparison and we may as well discuss the differences between apples over oranges.