Robbie Keane joined Scottish journalist Graham Hunter on the 'Big Interview' podcast for a brilliant and engaging interview looking back at the life and career of Ireland's record goalscorer.
While he has not played a competitive match since October 2016, he is all set for a new venture in 2018 having signed for Indian Super League Atletico del Kolkata, who are managed by former teammate Teddy Sheringham.
With a bit of time to kill until then, Keano met up with Hunter - who also features Damien Duff in his back catalogue - and it made for an extremely enjoyable listen.
It's well worth the time to digest the full thing, but here are some of the best things we learned from Robbie's 'Big Interview':
Robbie and David Beckham had to change the culture L.A. Galaxy.
If things were going bad, who were they going to turn to? It was always me and David (Beckham) I think by them seeing us, the way were on the training pitch and on match days, they kind of got it from that and the training ground and if we are not winning, if the possession is crap, if people are giving the ball away silly, people need to know that. When I first went there, the manager said; these players are not really used to players having a go at them and I remember saying to him; 'You have got the wrong player here then' and I said; 'I am here to win and it doesn’t matter, I will never disrespect any player or call them out in front of anybody but if I am telling them something it is for the benefit of the team and the benefit of us winning games, it is as simple as that.'
Gordon Strachan's olive branch to entice Keane to Coventry City was simple, and superb.
Gordon Strachan called me when I was at Wolves, he was best mates with Mark McGhee, he was my manager at Wolves. I was getting paid £1,500 a week or something like that and I was playing 20 or 30 games for Wolves, banging in goals and for me that was a lot of money. I was at my old good mates Dougie Freedman's house and I remember getting a call from Gordon Strachan in the house and the first thing he says is; 'Robbie, how are you doing? It's Gordon Strachan here, do you want to be a millionaire?' That was the first thing he said to me!
Dimitar Berbatov brings his own knife and fork to training.
Berbatov is a tricky character if you don’t know him, he is very reserved, keeps to himself, always comes in dressed immaculate, suit on or suit jacket, always looks cool, brings his own knife and fork to training, so he is a little bit different but when you actually get to know him he is different and I don’t think many people really got to know him apart from me and a few others.
Keane's peripheral vision is world class, even when he is at a restaurant.
Like when I go into a restaurant for example, and my wife will say so and so is here, and I’m like I know, I know, and I am facing the other way. She always says it to me and I have never told anybody that, that is the first time I have told somebody that and anywhere I go, I always kind of see my surroundings quickly and see what's there and I think that relates on the field also.
Robbie Keane is definitely a better singer than Michael Carrick.
There is nothing to clear apart from me being a way better singer than Michael (Carrick), he had a bit of help from his brother in laws that night. I just got up there and I had Wayne Rooney helping me out that night, it was kind of just miming. Myself and Michael are good friends as you know, we played at Tottenham together and we used to go out with the girls and go back to his house and we used to put the music on and have a sing song, so he knows that both of us like to have a sing song.
Rod Stewart has a massive Celtic crest printed on his five a side pitch in L.A.
We used to go up to Rod’s in LA and play five a side. He has a pitch up there with a massive Celtic crest on it, which is great and 10/12 lads used to go up there with the kids and play, and it was good fun.
Rafa Benitez wanted to change him to a left winger 20 minutes into a preseason game
He wanted to change me to a left winger and I mean I am clearly not a left winger and that is obviously clear for everyone to see. The first 20 minutes he wanted me to play left wing and obviously I had never played it before, so it was new to me you know.
Some great stuff, Keano is an absolute gentleman and a great storyteller.
You can listen to a snippet of the interview here.
