Robbie Keane sat down with football magazine FourFourTwo to name his perfect XI compiled of former team-mates. Interestingly, Robbie decided to omit himself from the line-up.
Should I put myself in? Nah, I need that spot for somebody else.
Instead, his XI is made up of a mixture of great players from his time with Inter Milan, Leeds, Liverpool, and of course with Ireland. Robbie also provided a little note on each player he selected.
Shay Given:"An obvious choice. In his prime he was so quick and sharp; his agility in front of the goal was superb. A top-class goalkeeper and team-mate – so good I'm not going to pick a reserve keeper!"
Javier Zanetti:"He's just retired from Inter Milan, which is where I met him. He's one of the fittest guys I ever played with, always running up and down the pitch. Look at the career he's had – it's unbelievable."
Richard Dunne:"A rock in the Irish back four. Strong, quick, unbelievable in the air – no one could get past him. He'd complement Ledley, as King played with style while Richard is more 'whole-hearted'."
Ledley King:"Ivan Cordoba, Jonathan Woodgate and Rio Ferdinand were all great, but Ledley stands out. To play at the highest level with his injuries is remarkable. He never trained but was the best on the pitch."
Gareth Bale:"When Gareth came to Tottenham he was a left-back but we all knew he wouldn't stay there for long, because he had so much quality going forward. We've seen how good he turned out."
David Beckham:"My former LA Galaxy team-mate. His crossing was incredible. I've never seen a player more efficient in dead-ball situations: he was able to find someone every time, which is amazing."
Clarence Seedorf:"My Inter Milan room-mate! Versatile and technically gifted with two good feet, he won multiple Champions League titles with different clubs, which speaks for itself. He's also a wonderful guy."
Roy Keane:"He led by example on the pitch, got the best out of other players, had great energy and could take a game by the scruff of the neck. If things weren't going well, his attitude would change that."
Steven Gerrard"Incredible passing ability and energy levels, and the way he dictates the game is truly special. In Steven and Roy Keane before him, you have the two best central midfielders in the Premier League."
Damien Duff:"We came through the national team at the same time, and most of my Ireland goals came from his assists. Damien's ability to jink past people created all sorts of trouble. He was fantastic."
Dimitar Berbatov:"One of the best partners I've ever had. We had an unbelievable relationship at Tottenham: we both like to come short, but we kept mixing when we played together and we scored a lot of goals."
So there you have it. A solid team indeed, although Duffer would have to do some tracking back when Bale gets forward. Surprising perhaps is the inclusion of Gordon Strachan as the manager of his perfect XI, and on Strachan, Keane said the following:
Marcelo Lippi, Mick McCarthy and Martin Jol were all good to me, but Gordon got the best out of me and many other players. A formidable character.
We're sure Mick is absolutely devastated.
via FourFourTwo.com
