MR. RELIABLE
Tallaght talisman always delivered when he was needed most
THE scoring sequence for alltime Irish goals says it all. From 14 to 19, 20, 21 and finally, a Beamon-like leap to 67. And it’s not over yet.
On Wednesday night, in his final international, Robbie Keane will seek to stretch his advantage as Ireland’s all-time goal scorer to infinity, and beyond. Well, beyond 67 goals anyway. It’s a number that was unthinkable for the previous goal-scoring standard bearers.
It’s 40 years since Don Givens edged past Noel Cantwell’s then record mark of 14 goals with a brace against Poland in a friendly, which took the lanky striker to 15 goals.
By then, Givens was already a folk hero as he had a hat-trick and a fourgoal haul on his Ireland CV.
And by the time he retired, at the end of the 1982 World Cup campaign, he had 19 goals, from 56 games. It was a magical number, unheard of in Irish football.
‘And it stood for a fair few years,’ said Givens, famed for his sideburns, long-hair and a style of celebrating goals with both arms raised to the skies.
‘It was something I was proud of and while I knew it wouldn’t last, especially when Ireland began to play a lot more games, I never thought the new record would be almost 50 goals higher.
‘What Robbie has done is unbelievable, especially so in an Irish context.’
Givens held the Irish record from 1976 until 1990 when Frank Stapleton, in his final international, chalked up his 20th goal when he headed home from close range against Malta prior to the World Cup finals.
Stapleton’s mark stood for 11 years until Niall Quinn, on his 35th birthday, bundled home a header against Cyprus in Lansdowne Road for his 21st goal.
Quinn soldiered on until the finals the following summer but signed off on 21, with the key of the scorer’s house. As someone who’d been at Dalymount in ‘74 to see Givens score a hat-trick against the USSR, the moment wasn’t lost on him.
‘Don looked the part. Was it any wonder we didn’t draw distinctions between (Gerd) Muller, (Johann) Cruyff and Don Givens,’ wrote Quinn in his autobiography.
Even then, Quinn knew who was coming up the rails at a fierce lick; it was Keane.
From the moment Keane arrived in the Ireland squad, at 17, he shot from the lip. ‘Where’s John Aldridge? Who was Stapo (Stapleton)? Bring ‘em on,’ he’d quip.
Quinn had Keane to thank for extending his international career, to the 2002 World Cup where they combined for the goal of all goals, against Germany in Ibaraki.
Ireland were seconds from losing, seconds from the brink of an early exit when the beanpole from Perrystown, and the little lad from nearby Tallaght combined.
After Mark Kinsella punched a hopeful ball into the box, Quinn takes up the story.
‘I’ve been through this with Robbie a thousand times. He knows where I’m going to put it and he gets there on time,’ he recalled.
‘Robbie controls my headed pass exquisitely and the ball is his. From the side I can see (Carsten) Ramelow, the big German centre-half, coming in to kill him.
‘But Robbie is too quick and sticks it past (Oliver) Kahn. The keeper gets some glove on it but the net bulges and the response is electric, deafening.’
The old one-two didn’t surprise Mick McCarthy, the then Irish manager whose joy as the goal went in was unbridled.
‘Robbie had a great rapport with Quinny (Niall Quinn). They were good for each other, they had a great understanding.
‘I loved the way Robbie would spin and turn as the ball came in, and feed of Niall’s knockdowns, like he did that night in Ibaraki,’ said McCarthy.
Two years later, Keane over-took Quinn with two goals against the Faroes in a Euro qualifier. Aged 24, he had 23 Irish goals already, and was only warming up.
Between 1998, when Keane made his debut, and 2011, Kevin Kilbane watched in wonder as the goals totted up, including 11 doubles and three hat-tricks.
‘When Niall got the record, we thought “well, Robbie will get to 30 goals.” 40 was beyond all our dreams. To get to 67 is unreal,’ he said. Kilbane was acutely aware how valuable Keane was to the Irish cause.
‘In all the big games we played, we were only ever going to win 1-0 or 21, so we had to rely on Robbie. That’s how much we needed him. And he always delivered. ‘He played in an era against (Gabriel) Batitusta, (Wayne) Rooney, Ronaldo and (Miroslav) Klose, and they all played in better teams.’
McCarthy, who thrust Keane into the team at 17, has never hidden his admiration for the will-o-the-wisp striker.
‘I watched a montage of Robbie’s Premier League goals on Sky recently and it showed his all round ability. He scored with both feet, with his head, his hip, his backside.
‘He scored from long range and from close range. He could take frees, penalties, he had it all,’ said McCarthy, who reckons Keane is riding off into the sunset at the right time.
‘I felt he’d go after the last World Cup campaign but he proved he had what was needed to go one more time and he helped Ireland to another final, and did his bit there, too.
‘He’s not as sharp as when he was 30 but his brain is and that’s why he’s still playing and scoring.’
Brian Kerr, who managed Keane for the Irieland U18s and the national team, felt Keane extended his career by going to the MLS in 2011 and highlighted his love of the green jersey.
‘He went to America at the right time for his international career as they play less games in the MLS and, and it’s less intense than the English League.’
‘Robbie’s dedication to playing for Ireland was remarkable, even more so when he went to the States. He was always available for games.’
Keane has yet to score an international goal in 2016, not that he has had many chances, but that could change on Wednesday.
Ranked 107th in the world, Oman are one of world football patsies. They have leaked six goals in two games against Ireland and could only draw 1-1 with Cork City reserves on Monday night.
‘No one will be surprised if he scores a goal on Wednesday. Could he even get to 70? I wouldn’t put it past him,’ said Kilbane.
Even if Keane doesn’t sign off with a goal, Kerr reckons his record number will forever stand the test of time.
‘For years, the record was 19 by Don Givens and no one could get near it. Then Frank Stapleton chipped away at it; then Niall (Quinn) had a go. 67 goals? I can’t see Robbie’s mark being touched,’ he said.