‘I’m just LOVING Dundalk’
THE last week or so has been a “dream” for Alan Keane.
Now he is hoping that continues into Thursday night when Dundalk take on Zenit St Petersburg in the Europa League.
It was only last Tuesday that the 32-year-old was thrown in at the deep end for his league debut against Cork City following an injury to regular right back Sean Gannon.
After standing out in the 2-1 win over John Caulfield’s side, the August addition to Stephen Kenny’s squad also impressed in back-to-back 3-0 wins away to Shamrock Rovers and Longford Town as nine points in six days left him on the verge of a second league title to add to the one he won with Slgio Rovers in 2012.
The whole experience has been something of a whirlwind for the Galway man who had initially retired from the game at the start of the year before being coaxed back into action by Kenny.
As he sat down to watch Ireland play Belgium in the European Championships during the summer, little did he think he would be coming up against the man who scored the Red Devils’ second that day, Axel Witsel, but that’s a prospect will come true when Zenit visit Tallaght Stadium on Thursday.
“It’s a dream.” Keane said of his current situation
“I didn’t think back in February that I’d be playing in any sort of game. In June I was playing Gaelic and just messing around, keeping my body ticking over and being part of a team but I didn’t think I’d be going for another league title come November, let alone playing in a Europa League game so it’s a bit surreal at the minute but it’s something that I’ll always look back on in my career and be thankful that Stephen gave me the opportunity.
“It’s going to be difficult on Thursday. Obviously Zenit are a top, top team. The gaffer will have us in now and we’ll do our homework on them. It’s another game to prepare for and pencil off. We’ll approach it whatever way he feels best.
“They are a top team but who would have thought that we’d have four points after two games so who knows?
“It does mean that bit more because of the way it came about. though I finished because I didn’t really have the hunger anymore. I just didn’t feel the buzz but since I’ve come in between the buzz around the place and being able to challenge for stuff, I’m back loving football again.”
Keane admitted he didn’t expect to feature too much when he finally put pen to paper with Dundalk on August 25th but said he was determined to get himself into the sort of shape which would mean he would be ready when called upon.
“The day before the Cork game in training I was told that I’d be starting, that unfortunately Sean had picked up a knock. Fair play to the gaffer, he showed faith in me and threw me in in the big game.
“I thrive on games like that but it’s easy coming into a team like this. You don’t really have to do much. The team has just been ticking away and they’re a phenomenal bunch of lads.
“I always kind of look after myself and when I came in here I knew my chances probably would be limited enough but I worked hard off the pitch and said I’d be ready for my chance. I knew when I did get my chance I’d have to take it because a lot of eyes would have been on me to see how I’d do and that was another thing in the back of my mind. To be thrown in against Cork on TV was the perfect opportunity to show people that I wasn’t the weak link.
“It’s great to be involved now and to get the three wins in the week. Thankfully Pat’s did us a favour tonight so it takes a little bit of pressure off but there’s nothing won yet.”
With no signs of being ring rusty, will Keane now look to prolong a second retirement come the end of the campaign? “I don’t know,” he smiled. “I’ll sit down at the year and see but it’s good at the minute. As I said when I go out on the pitch I just try and leave it all on the pitch and try to do my best but when you’re playing with lads of that calibre it always helps. You might make mistakes that people might not see but the lads will give you a dig out. It’s a great bunch of lads and it’s a pleasure to be playing with them,” said Keane.