Tottenham Hotspur Football Club News

• Nickname:Spurs
• Founded:1882
• Manager:Harry Redknapp

• Ground:White Hart Lane
• Capacity:36,240

Redknapp hails four-star Keane

27 Sep 2009 - 10:54:45

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Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp hailedRobbie Keane's influence at the club after watching the Republic of Ireland international score four goals in the 5-0 rout of Burnley at White Hart Lane.

Redknapp decided to bring Keane back into his starting line-up in place of Peter Crouch, even after the England international had grabbed three goals in the midweek Carling Cup hammering of Preston North End.

The wily manager's decision was vindicated by Keane's sparkling display, with Redknapp saying after the game: "Robbie's important, he's one of the few voices we have in the dressing room.

"He's a great player, has been for years and he takes his chances so well.

"But it's great competition. I've never had more problems picking a team as the one I had today - the guys up front, the goalkeeper, they were difficult decisions for me to make.

"Sometimes they come off, sometimes they don't and today they came off for me. But we go to Bolton next week. It's a different game there so we have to wait and see who are the best guys to go with.

"It was difficult leaving out Peter Crouch with his hat-trick the other day. But we started the season with Jermain Defoe and Robbie Keane and we got four wins.

"They started great together and their movement was fantastic against Burnley. With their big centre-halves I thought we'd give them more problems than with a big man up there. That was a key factor.

"With Robbie in there playing clever passes and dropping into space, I thought we could open them up. Their centre-halves are straight up and down guys and I thought we could give them problems."