Robbie Keane was a hell of a goalscorer, but that's not all he had to his game. His mentality on the pitch was one that could not be matched by many others and you certainly wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of him.
We assumed he carried that same attitude into his day-to-day training routine, something that has been confirmed by former teammate Jamie O'Hara.
The former Spurs midfielder was speaking on Talksport when he recalled an incident that occurred between Keane and Edgar Davids at the club.
The Dutch international had recently arrived at Tottenham from Inter Milan and had a pedigree of success at some of the biggest clubs on the continent. Considering this, it was surprising that he apparently assumed he would be the main man in North London.
Keane had other ideas.
O'Hara recalled how the former Ireland captain reacted when the Dutchman squared up to him in training, and it certainly sounds like he came out on top:
“I tell you who had a bit about him... Robbie Keane.” 😳
“Edgar Davids came in from Inter & thought he was the bee’s knees.” 😏
“There was a barney in training, Edgar said something to Keano & BANG!” 👊 @MrJamieOHara1 says you do not mess with Robbie Keane! 👀 pic.twitter.com/K2FRNlXCRJ— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) February 3, 2020
I'll tell you who had a bit about him was Robbie Keane. I'll tell you a story about him and Edgar Davids.
We were at training and Edgar Davids had come in from Inter Milan and he thought he was the bee's knees, he was the main man and guy, but everybody realised Robbie Keane was the main man at Tottenham at the time.
I remember him giving it to Keano over something in training, they were having a barney. I think he tried to step into Robbie Keane and say something, and Keano just sparked him!
I don't know if he had the glasses on, but he just went bang, one punch. Edgar Davids just picked himself up, walked on and that was it.
Next day he walked in and was like 'morning Robbie'. He knew that nobody messed with Keane. If he switched, he would put you straight out.
Keane certainly didn't take any sort of messing.
