Robbie Keane - loan now confirmed

[Concrete John]

Couple of points about this:-

Firstly, the money.  Lets say that the £500-£750k is right and take it at the medium point of £625k for 2 months.  That extrapolated over a season is £3.75m.  If we were to get a player like Keane on a permanent deal, then I'd say we'd be looking at £3m and £40k a week, which on a modest two year deal (at 31 he'd be askig for 3 years) is a total of just over £7m.  The point being that it might be about the going rate for the player.  When you add in the low risk nature due to it only being a loan, then financially it might make more sense than you'd at first think.  Granted that's irrelevant if you don't rate the player!

I also don't see that this reflects a lack of a longterm plan.  Yes, it's a short term signing, but if you agre with the wages issue it can be seen as a stop gap until they are in a better place, as in when Beye, Cuellar & Heskey go in the summer.  It'll be one to wait and see on, but if we enter the market for 3 or 4 bright young things in the summer, I think we'll look back at Keane and a shrewd move to keep our heads aboce water while the 'warchest' is building.

Footballing wise, it also make sense to me.  We don't really have a player on the bench who can come on and change things for us right now.  Keane links it well, can score, as is comfortable dropping off the front man, so is an option we are currently lacking, especially as that's what AM has been asking Hesket to do a lot this season.  That's not to say it WILL work, but it's not as if we're getting someone we have a similar player to already in the squad.       

So it's a decent move, IMO.

[Rick_avfc]

Robbie Keane > Pires

In programming and mathematical terms that statement means Robbie Keane is greater than Pires.  Is that what you are saying? 

[Dave Cooper please]

This £500 - 750K that I keep seeing bandied about...is it definite or is it just a figure someone made up and is now being taken as gospel by everyone who is against this move?

[Rick_avfc]

This £500 - 750K that I keep seeing bandied about...is it definite or is it just a figure someone made up and is now being taken as gospel by everyone who is against this move?

It's been reported on the press - Birmingham Mail

[Dave Cooper please]

This £500 - 750K that I keep seeing bandied about...is it definite or is it just a figure someone made up and is now being taken as gospel by everyone who is against this move?

It's been reported on the press - Birmingham Mail

Oh well, definitely true then!

[Concrete John]

This £500 - 750K that I keep seeing bandied about...is it definite or is it just a figure someone made up and is now being taken as gospel by everyone who is against this move?

It's been reported on the press - Birmingham Mail

I still wouldn't take that as gospel myself!

[Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle]

Robbie Keane > Pires

In programming and mathematical terms that statement means Robbie Keane is greater than Pires.  Is that what you are saying? 

I think the statement: 'Keane < Pires' is also mathematically correct when you are looking at alphabetical/numerical values.

If you take each letter to correspond with a numerical chronological equivalent eg A=1, B=2, C=3 etc. then the letters in 'Keane' will give you a total of 36, and those in 'Pires' 67.

As any fule kno if you must then add these digits together to get the lucky numbers. This gives Keane a final digit of 9, a great number for a striker I think you must admit, whereas Pires equals 13, an unlucky number and akin with a slightly slow, hirsuite Frenchman who is past his best.

In conclusion, I think numerically speaking, the Keane deal is a good one for Villa and I can see his inclusion in the team leading to lots of goals.

[Simon Ward]

Still can't believe we are doing this!

[Rick_avfc]

Robbie Keane > Pires

In programming and mathematical terms that statement means Robbie Keane is greater than Pires.  Is that what you are saying? 

I think the statement: 'Keane < Pires' is also mathematically correct when you are looking at alphabetical/numerical values.

If you take each letter to correspond with a numerical chronological equivalent eg A=1, B=2, C=3 etc. then the letters in 'Keane' will give you a total of 36, and those in 'Pires' 67.

As any fule kno if you must then add these digits together to get the lucky numbers. This gives Keane a final digit of 9, a great number for a striker I think you must admit, whereas Pires equals 13, an unlucky number and akin with a slightly slow, hirsuite Frenchman who is past his best.

In conclusion, I think numerically speaking, the Keane deal is a good one for Villa and I can see his inclusion in the team leading to lots of goals.

haha excellent!

[N'ZMAV]

Why not, Simon?

[PaulTheVillan]

How about, let's give him a chance. Back up for 2 months, hardly the end of the world.

Except that about  half a million pounds of supporters money down the drain for someone who is unlikely to play and if he does unlikely to contribute anything at all. I remember his last appearance at VP playing for Liverpool.

As Ozz points out above if his contribution helps us win a few points and finish a couple of places higher than we would have without him then we'll make a profit on the move.

Good thinking.

[not3bad]

Robbie Keane was always going to play for us at one point.  We've been linked with him practically every year since he became a professional.  Robbie, your dreams have come true!  Do us proud!!

[Chico Hamilton III]

Robbie Keane was always going to play for us at one point.  We've been linked with him practically every year since he became a professional.

Maybe we should go the whole hog and get Carlton Palmer on a 2-month loan. And Stayvie Bull.

Actually, good luck to Keane, hope he does the business

[Chris Jameson]

The only positive thing I can say about Keane (I hate all the pointing and poxy goal celebrations he does)is that he is better than Heskey but that's a bit like saying Coldplay are better than U2.

[Karl Bridges]

Another aspect to this is that the younger players will be able to tap into his wealth of experience and learn from him. I hope he does well.