Sometimes a footballer returns to his former club and gets a rapturous round of applause, take Peter Crouch at Anfield on Wednesday night. The supporters can be understanding if the player has wanted to leave due to a lack of first-team football, especially if he gave his all for the team when he was there. However, it remains to be seen whether Tottenham’s fans will be putting their hands together when their ex-striker takes to the field on Saturday evening.
Setanta reports that Rafael Benitez is expecting Robbie Keane to be appreciated by the White Hart Lane masses, although it remains to be seen whether fans will applaud a player who left them in the lurch this summer. The club’s failure to replace the Irishman has been seen as a central reason behind their poor start this campaign, with the striker keen to join his ‘boyhood club’.
“Robbie’s available so it will be my decision,” declared Benitez. “He wants to play every game and I’m sure he wants to see the fans and say hello again.
“He was a key player for them for years. He’s a fantastic professional and always gave 100 percent on the pitch for them and now for us. I think the fans will appreciate this.
“Maybe sometimes, like when we were talking about Peter Crouch, when you’ve been at a club and were happy, it’s normal to say okay, I’m still a good player and not to prove [anything] but to show people you are good enough.
“I think, with Keane, nobody can talk about or discuss his quality as it’s clear to see he’s a good player but he will be in another team.”
Keane spent six happy seasons at White Hart Lane, and really started to blossom last term, forging a lethal partnership with Dimitar Berbatov which helped land Tottenham the Carling Cup. Will supporters remeber the Liverpool striker fondly and give him a warm welcome on his White Hart Lane return this weekend?
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