Scoring here at Celtic Park was special. I’d love to do it for Ireland
SAYS ROBBIE KEANE
THE Blessed St Martin professed never even to have seen the inside of the away dressing room at Celtic Park before, while the venerable Robbie Keane gushed with emotion over the glorious six months he’d spent in his beloved green and white Hoops.
Without wishing to spoil the mood of this love-in, it’s safe to assume that Republic of Ireland manager Martin O’Neill and captain Keane won’t be made to feel too much at home as they attempt to get one over on their gracious hosts tonight.
Still, Keane — the remarkable 34-year- old who just keeps on scoring goals — is already dreaming of getting just one more at the ground he briefly graced following his ecstatically-received deadlineday loan move to Celtic in the winter of 2010.
‘I certainly hope it’s the case,’ said the man who has regularly hit the back of the net at some of the biggest and best grounds in Europe. ‘Scoring goals when you are a striker, no matter where you are, you get that exciting feeling.
‘But, certainly, growing up and watching Celtic and having the privilege to play here — and managing to score a few goals while I was here — was extra special. So of course it would be nice if that was the case tomorrow (Friday).
‘It would certainly be up there with my best moments. It’s very hard to predict that now but, if that were the case, I’d obviously be delighted.
‘Honestly, the whole experience of being a player here was fantastic. Coming from London to Celtic Park late at night to find 5,000 people waiting for me was one of the best feelings you can ever get.
‘Just walking out on to Celtic Park and putting on that green and white jersey, well, from start to finish the experience, for me, was great. I enjoyed every minute of it.’
Fully prepared for an entirely different sort of reception tonight, not least from former team-mate Scott Brown, Keane views boos and jeers as a badge of honour — and believes that Scots- born former Celtic star Aiden McGeady is very much of the same mind.
‘Certainly, from my experience anyway, it’s something that you quite enjoy,’ said LA Galaxy star Keane, who has 65 international goals and an incredible 137 caps to his name. ‘Knowing Aiden as I do, I don’t think it will affect him too much. I’m sure he’ll rise to the occasion, like he has done for the last few games.
‘He was here for a few years with Celtic and was a great player for them. I know he’s excited about coming back.
‘I don’t think what people say or whether the crowd are going to boo him will affect him too much. I’m sure they will boo him — but I’m also sure he’ll enjoy it.
‘Scott, when I was here, was brilliant. He wears his heart on the sleeve and he gives everything for Celtic and his country. It’s clear to see when you see him playing.
‘I’m sure it will be no different tomorrow. He will be the same Scott that I know, going around kicking people. But he doesn’t get the credit he deserves. He’s a good football player. He doesn’t mind a tackle, too. It will be interesting to play against him.’
O’Neill, doing his best to shrug aside the unwanted distraction surrounding Roy Keane — who r eally should buy himself a Mario Balotelli-style Why Always Me? T- Shirt — and an alleged altercation at the team hotel, beamed with delight at just taking his place in a rather flim sym marquee erected outside Celtic Park last night.
‘I must admit, it will be really strange to walk into the club and turn right, to the away dressing room, instead of left,’ he said.
‘I said it jokingly but I might be serious when I say I’m not too sure I’ve ever set foot in the away dressing room here.
‘It will be strange, I must admit. After the press conference, I fancy a little walk around.’
What he really fancies, of course, is another big result to go with wins over Georgia away and Gibraltar at home, not to mention a dramatic last-gasp draw against Germany in Gelsenkirchen.
O’Neill said: ‘We are away from home. But we think we can get a result in the game — I think we can win the match.
‘I’m quite sure Gordon (Strachan) thinks so, as well — and Scotland will be favourites to win.
‘But Germany were very strong favourites to beat us and we managed to get something from that game. So we’re going in with confidence.
‘This is not a 38-game season. Every single game i s of some significance.
‘When we’ve finished tomorrow, we will have played three pretty difficult away games and will still be in the hunt, regardless of the result.
‘Scotland have been on a good run. Gordon has momentum behind him, the team and the country. They played exceptionally well against Germany in the second half and might have been unlucky not to take something from that game.
‘They followed that with a mustwin against Georgia and a great result in Poland.’
The man who paid £12million to take Steven Fletcher from Wolves to Sunderland obviously sees the Scotland striker as a threat, crediting him with at least 50 per cent of the responsibility f or keeping the Black Cats in the Barclays Premier League after his arrival.
In fact, it’s impossible to escape the feeling that familiarity will play a crucial rule in this international ‘derby match’, with the lack of surprise elements on either side possibly leading to a less open game than usual.
One thing of which O’Neill is certain, however, is that discipline and cool heads will be key.
‘This type of match will test the most experienced of players. They will still have a nervousness about them,’ he said.
‘In games like these, ironically and remarkably, sometimes the young players are the ones who shine and sail through, dismissing the nerves as they play.
‘The players are ready for the game, they have been for some time. It’s very much the case of having some discipline about ourselves, because it’s better if we keep players on the field.’