The Case For Keane

Rumors abound that Wanderers have an interest in wayward striker Robbie Keane but it seems that as soon as talk surfaced, fans and media alike said "absolutely not!" Keane hasn't enjoyed the form that earned him a sale to Liverpool a few years back in the last couple of seasons so it is easy to see where the fans are coming from and let's not forget the fact tat his wage demands are simply exorbitant. I'm willing to sit here for a moment and play devil's advocate.

Robbie Keane has enjoyed a number of fairly prolific seasons in his long Tottenham Hotspur career. A look at the numbers will show just that. In 303 career appearances for Spurs in all competitions, Robbie has found the net 122 times. That is a goal every 2.48 appearances. His best seasons for Spurs came in 2006 and 2007 where he scored 45 times in 98 appearances or, in other terms, a goal every 2.18 times he stepped onto the pitch. For country, those numbers improve. In his entire Republic of Ireland career, Keane has netted 51 times in 108 caps, once every 2.12 appearances. In 2011 alone, 6 goals in 4 appearances for Ireland.

Now, a bit of comparison to a striker we currently have, one who we no longer do but can be considered one of the best Bolton forwards, and our record signing, the Gary Megson of players, Johan Elmander. Super Kevin Davies has been a Trotter since 2003. In that time, he's scored 71 goals in 332 appearances, a paltry goal every 4.68 caps. His best season came in 2008/2009 where he was scoring at a rate of one goal every 3.33 games. What about Anelka, he was fairly prolific in his time at the Reebok, right? He had 23 goals in 61 games, once every 2.65 matches. Finally, the ever ungrateful Elmander. 18 goals from 92 game. An unbelievably crap goal for every 5.11 matches.

Elmo's best season was this last one and it was the tutelage of Owen Coyle that saw him actually score a goal or two as well as distribution from the midfield by Stuart Holden and clever little flick-ons and balls headed down by SKD. If Keane were willing to lower his wage demands in exchange for time spent off the bench and on the pitch, I believe that Bolton Wanderers have all of the pieces in place to once again make him a Premier League success.