Will Robbie Keane go to Celtic on loan?

By: Declan O'Kelly | Published Wednesday, January 13, 2010, 6:37 PM | Updated Friday, September 9, 2011, 9:24 PM

12/10/2009 9:46 AM

Irish captain Robbie Keane’s winter of discontent might end should he decide to up sticks from London and head north of the border to play on loan with Glasgow Celtic.

The Times of London reported that a deal might be done if Irish financier Dermot Desmond, who owns 37 per cent of the Scottish club, will loosen the purse strings to facilitate Keane’s hefty wage demands.

Keane has struggled to break in to the Spurs team this year due to the Jermain Defoe/ Pater Crouch partnership that has been manager Harry Redknapp’s preferred front pairing.

The question is, should Keane, a Celtic fan, head north to revitalize his career? Granted, he might get more playing time, but is the SPL the standard of play he really wants to drop to at this stage of his career?

With all due respect to the Bhoys, the financial constraints that have been placed on manager Tony Mowbray, and the consequent drop in quality of player he can bring to the club means that the Bhoys are a distinctly average outfit in a distinctly average league.

With Roman Pavlyuchenko the most likely to leave Spurs in the January window, Redknapp might not even want to leave the Irishman go.

Also, can Keane really complain that he is not starting now? Kranjcar is in great form, Defoe is top scorer in the Premier League, and Crouch offers the big-man-up-top option.

Also, Keane himself has struggled to find the form that made him Spurs captain and his displays so far this season have not made a strong case for his inclusion in Spurs' best eleven.

I think it is time for him to knuckle down where he is. Keane is Premier League player - English, not Scottish, and that is where he should stay.