Robbie Keane was only starting to hit form at Liverpool when he was transferred back to Tottenham.
That’s the verdict of the Ireland legend’s namesake and pal Robbie Fowler.
The pair played together at Leeds United between 2001 and 2003 and struck up a friendship both on and off the pitch.
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While Fowler became an Anfield legend thanks to his 183 goals over two spells at his hometown club, Keane’s time there, sandwiched between Tottenham spells, was brief.
He managed just seven goals in 28 appearances during the 2008/09 campaign - a rare blip in an otherwise sensational career for club and country.
“Funnily enough, I was doing a podcast with him not long ago and we were talking about his Liverpool career,” said Fowler, who yesterday was linked with the vacant Northern Ireland job.
“It took him a while to get going but then just as he started scoring goals he was shipped off.
“I don’t understand sort of what happened but I do know he is a good player.
“I had a good relationship with him on and off the pitch, for whatever reason sometimes it doesn’t happen when players move to clubs.
“It’s not through any fault of the player, sometimes it happens that way.
“If the club or anybody deems you surplus then you probably want to go play somewhere else as opposed to sitting on a bench.
“I hated sitting on a bench and I know Robbie Keane was the same so it was probably his decision to go as much as it was the club.”
Despite Keane’s struggles at Anfield, Fowler rates the Tallaght striker as Ireland’s greatest ever player.
And he remains in awe of Keano’s incredible international goal tally of 68 - a record that has him among some of the biggest names in the history of football.
“He’s Ireland’s greatest ever player, isn’t he? I played with Keano for a good few years. He’s a good mate of mine too, we still keep in touch,” said Fowler.
“He was a fabulous player, wasn’t he?
“It’s unbelievable, his international record. When you think - and don’t take this the wrong way - it’s probably one of the smaller nations, we’ve seen Ireland for years and years maybe batting above their station.
“I hope that doesn’t come around as disrespectful, it’s not, it’s highly complementary.
“I’ve seen the great Ireland teams under Jack and I’ve witnessed great Ireland teams. But they’ve always been the underdogs.
“When you talk about the likes of John Aldridge, who’s got a good record as well, Robbie Keane’s record at international level is phenomenal.
“For one of the smaller nations, it’s brilliant.”
While Keane is up there on Fowler’s list of top strikers, the former Liverpool man reckons another of his ex-clubs has landed the “perfect” frontman.
Fowler scored 28 goals in 92 appearances for Manchester City - and incredibly Erling Haaland is just six goals of that tally after just 16 games for the Etihad side.
“I think he is an incredible player,” said Fowler. “When you are thinking of a perfect number nine, I think he probably ticks that box.
“He’s big, he’s strong, he’s quick and most importantly he scores goals.
“From a City point of view, I don’t think he was brought in to win the Premier League, because you look at City the last few years, they were scoring 90-odd goals anyway.
“So are his goals going to make a difference in the Premier League? Probably not, in all fairness.
“But they can make a difference in the Champions League and I think he has been brought in for that, and I understand why.”
Liverpool FC Legend Robbie Fowler this week visited Belfast and Dublin in celebration of Carlsberg’s 30th year in partnership with the club. Passionate supporters of the Reds since 1992, Carlsberg teamed up with John Aldridge and Fowler to surprise a group of unsuspecting fans at a Liverpool FC supporters’ five a side match. To find out how they got on, follow Carlsberg Ireland on Instagram.
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