Former Liverpool defender Steve Staunton says Robbie Keane wasn't given a fair crack of the whip at Anfield. Keane has headed back to Tottenham just six months after moving to Merseyside in a £20.3m deal - with Rafa Benitez suggesting he couldn't cope with the pressure of playing at such a big club. But Staunton, who spent two spells at Liverpool and also managed Keane for the Republic Of Ireland, is astonished at the way the striker has been treated.
"It's a surprise what has happened because as a lover of Liverpool I thought he was a good signing for them when he went there," he said.
"It was his dream move to Liverpool and you'll have to ask Rafa Benitez why it didn't work out because I don't know myself. Rafa has his own ideas, how he plays his system, and I don't think Robbie fitted into that system.
"Rafa has a system he plays and the main guy in it is Fernando Torres with Steven Gerrard behind him, so there was no room for Robbie and he never had the opportunity.
"I don't think he was given a fair crack of the whip to be honest. He had a few games but he never had a level playing field.
"Robbie is one of these guys who needs to be playing every week to get the best out of them and he didn't get that at Liverpool. But he'll get it at Spurs."
Staunton is certain Tottenham have bought themselves a top-quality player who will prove crucial in their bid to escape relegation from the Premiership and win the Carling and Uefa Cups this season.
He said: "I would say Harry Redknapp has got a gem of a player in the deal. Robbie is a leader as well as a very good goalscorer. He's a top bloke and he'll sort the dressing room out as well.
"He will play regular football and will get back to his best very quickly. He's one of those guys that want to play football every week. He gets very frustrated otherwise.
"I don't know about the politics at Liverpool, it obviously didn't work out. But he's lucky to have got away quickly. Time will tell if it costs Liverpool or not but it's certainly good for Spurs."
"It's a surprise what has happened because as a lover of Liverpool I thought he was a good signing for them when he went there," he said.
"It was his dream move to Liverpool and you'll have to ask Rafa Benitez why it didn't work out because I don't know myself. Rafa has his own ideas, how he plays his system, and I don't think Robbie fitted into that system.
"Rafa has a system he plays and the main guy in it is Fernando Torres with Steven Gerrard behind him, so there was no room for Robbie and he never had the opportunity.
"I don't think he was given a fair crack of the whip to be honest. He had a few games but he never had a level playing field.
"Robbie is one of these guys who needs to be playing every week to get the best out of them and he didn't get that at Liverpool. But he'll get it at Spurs."
Staunton is certain Tottenham have bought themselves a top-quality player who will prove crucial in their bid to escape relegation from the Premiership and win the Carling and Uefa Cups this season.
He said: "I would say Harry Redknapp has got a gem of a player in the deal. Robbie is a leader as well as a very good goalscorer. He's a top bloke and he'll sort the dressing room out as well.
"He will play regular football and will get back to his best very quickly. He's one of those guys that want to play football every week. He gets very frustrated otherwise.
"I don't know about the politics at Liverpool, it obviously didn't work out. But he's lucky to have got away quickly. Time will tell if it costs Liverpool or not but it's certainly good for Spurs."
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