Keane calls time on playing career

Former Tottenham and Republic of Ireland striker Robbie Keane has announced his retirement as a player.

The 38-year-old captained his country for a decade and scored 325 goals in 737 appearances for 10 different clubs during a 23-year playing career.

“Today, after 23 wonderful years, I am formally announcing my retirement as a professional footballer,” Keane said in a statement yesterday.

“From Crumlin United around the world to the likes of Milan, London and Los Angeles, I could never have imagined the path my football life would take. It has exceeded all the hopes I had as a football-mad boy growing up in Dublin.”

Keane played for the likes of Wolves, Tottenham, Inter Milan, Leeds, Liverpool and LA Galaxy after arriving in England aged 15.

He is also the Republic’sall-timeleadingscorer, netting 68 goals in 146 appearances before retiring from international football in 2016.

The Republic’s new manager Mick McCarthy’s appointed Keane as his assistant last week alongside Terry Connor following the recent departure of Martin O’Neill.

“Playing and captaining my country has been the highlight of my career,” he said.

“I enjoyed every moment of the most incredible journey with the Ireland team over an 18-year period and as I have said many times before, words cannot express how proud I am to be Irish.”

Keane arrived in England with Wolves in 1997 and moved on to Coventry for £6million after two seasons in the first team.

Further moves followed, to Inter Milan (£13m) and Leeds (£12m) before he spent six years at Tottenham.

“I had the great privilege to represent and captain Tottenham over 238 games.

“I had many wonderful times there and I will look back on my days at White Hart Lane with great fondness.

“The club will always hold a special place in my heart,” he said.