Last night, Robbie Keane announced his decision to leave LA Galaxy after six seasons at the MLS club.
Today, 'soccer Twitter' is awash with tributes to a man known by many simply as The King, and the American sports media are playing no small part in the send-off (even if we reckon Robbie is going to remain in MLS).
His impact on the league is obvious, but what rings true within nearly every article is how appreciative fans and scribes alike are for Keane's taking MLS and football in America so seriously, dedicating himself fully in his later years where so many European imports before him arrived to catch a tan and drink Arnold Palmers.
Sports Illustrated lead with Keane's own statement and the words of his manager, Bruce Arena.
The former US Men's National Team boss said of Keane's departure:
It is hard to put into words what Robbie Keane has meant to the LA Galaxy. From day one, Keane has given everything to this team both on and off the field and has led our club to some of its greatest accomplishments. His resume and accomplishments speak for themselves; he has been the most successful international signing in this league’s history. We thank Robbie for everything he has given to this club and this city and we wish him the best in whatever comes next in his career.
Kevin Baxter writes in the LA Times that Keane's farewell brings to an end "one of the most productive partnerships between a player and team in MLS history."
His average of .69 scores every 90 minutes is a record for players with at least 70 goals and he scored 100 goals in all competitions faster than any other player in league history, eventually running his total to 104.
In the LA Daily News, Damian Calhoun describes the immediacy of Keane's impact on MLS when he arrived five years ago:
It didn’t take long for Robbie Keane to make an impact in Major League Soccer.
Keane, who arrived at the age of 31 in 2011, scored in his Galaxy debut on Aug. 15, 2011. From there, he was just the type of goal-scorer that the Galaxy needed, eclipsing the 100-goal plateau in all Galaxy games, including tournaments and exhibitions.
Over on SoccerAmerica.com, football writer Paul Kennedy opened his praise of Keane with a hint of sarcasm, writing, "All he did was lead the Galaxy to three MLS Cup titles (2011, 2012 and 2014) and scored 92 goals."
Keane embraced everything about Los Angeles, living with his family in downtown Los Angeles and loving the city's restaurant scene. On the field, the fiery Irishman served as Arena's second coach.
Ryan Rosenblatt of Fox Sports pens the lengthiest tribute to Robbie - an article entitled, 'Robbie Keane is the best Designated Player in MLS history'.
Rosenblatt notes in his byline that, "None of the league's other high priced stars have matched the Irishman."
Amazingly, when the Irishman signed with the Galaxy in 2011, expectations weren't very high. He was a big name who had done some great things, to be sure, but his last few years with Tottenham, Celtic and West Ham were underwhelming, to be kind. It looked like he had nothing left in the tank and the Galaxy were signing an aging player who would just grab one last paycheck.
Keane's next five years in LA were undeniable, though. He scored 16 goals in 2012, plus six in six playoff matches.
He scored 92 goals for the Galaxy in regular season play, to go along with nine in 21 playoff matches. Those are numbers that put him among the best in league history, and he was only with the Galaxy for five-plus seasons.
On top of all that, Keane was a beloved teammates. While viewers may have only seen him yelling at eould finish his career with a former club like Celtic or Tottenham of the English Premier League.veryone and anyone on the pitch, including his teammates, the rest of the Galaxy players couldn't say enough good things about him. It went well beyond the simple teammate respect talk too. Keane's teammates would talk about their captain in glowing terms, from the attitude he brought to the training pitch, to how hard he worked, to everything he would share with them and teach them how to play.
NBC's article on Keane's departure opens simply:
The King has left his throne.
Michael Duarte of NBC, perhaps somewhat dazzled by Keane's relative domination of American club football, suggests that the 36-year-old "could finish his career with a former club like Celtic or Tottenham of the English Premier League."
