February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Keane was officially unveiled Thursday as the latest Irish star to line out in the green and white hoops of Glasgow Celtic.
The 34-year-old midfielder has signed what is being described as an initial 18-month contract with the famed Glasgow club. The deal will keep Keane at Celtic until at least June, 2007.
Celtic announced the signing on their website with the statement that the club was “delighted” to announce the arrival of the Cork native who would be fulfilling a lifelong dream by joining the Hoops.
“I feel this is where I belong,” were Keane’s first words as a Celtic player.
“It’s a great move for me. It was important that I took my time over the past three or four weeks but now that everything’s done it’s a good day for me. It’s been a strange few weeks since leaving United but it’s a great move for me and I’m really looking forward to the challenge.
“It was important I took my time and made the right decision and walking round the club today I felt really comfortable. I’ve met one or two of the players and I feel this is where I belong. It’s been documented over the years that I’ve been up to Celtic Park for a few games and I’ve always enjoyed coming up and watching them. They’re seeking to improve and win titles, and that’s what I’m in the game for. I’ve not come up here on a PR trip or an ego trip or to unwind, far from it.
“I’m here to win football matches and help the squad. I’m very much a team player, despite the reports. I want the team to do well and that’s what I’ve come up here for and that’s what I’ve come up here for, to help the club move onto the next level and win trophies.
“That’s what I’m in the game for. I’m not necessarily in the game to be popular. I like training hard, I like playing hard. I like pushing myself. I like pushing the people I work with hard. In the modern day there seems to be a problem with that but that’s what I enjoy doing.
Keane made it clear that he does not expect an automatic pass to the Celtic first eleven.
“A team like Celtic, which is challenging for trophies, needs a big squad and I’m well aware that the players who are at Celtic have done very well,” he said.
“I’m under no illusions that I’m going to come up here and walk straight into the team. I’ve never done that in my career. I’ve never taken my position for granted so what I’m looking to do over the next couple of weeks is to train hard and give the manager a problem.
“But I think when I was at my previous club, when we bought midfielders I saw that as a challenge and hopefully the players here will see that as a challenge. If you want to be successful you need a big squad and everyone’s going to be vying for eleven positions and I’m no different from that.
“Over the next couple of weeks my priority is to try and get a bit of sharpness and getting to know my new team-mates.”
Keane is not eligible to play for Celtic until Jan 1 but he was quick to allay any fears about his current fitness.
“I was fit four or five week ago. Just before I left United I was due to play in a reserve match but that was shelved. It’s been frustrating, but I’m glad I took those few extra weeks to take my time and make my decision and come up with the right decision.
“I’m looking forward to all the games. The players here have done brilliantly and, considering the position I play, the best two players in Scotland over the past four or five years have been Neil Lennon and Stilian Petrov, so, again I’m under no illusions as to how hard it will be.”
Several English clubs, such as Bolton and Everton. had expressed an interest in signing Keane in addition to Celtic.
However, Real had looked the strongest suitor at the beginning of the week. The team has lately been struggling to find an influential central midfielder.