Keller hoping for another chance -- sportinglife.com A number of key talking points in this article... Keller will head back to White Hart Lane later this week after completing his loan spell at Southampton... Keller will make a decision on his future once his options are established during the January transfer window, with one possibility being a return to his homeland to take up a contract with Major League Soccer. But he would prefer to stay in Europe, and preferably in the Barclays Premiership - insisting he is a better goalkeeper now than when he made his name at Millwall and Leicester. Keller knows nonetheless he is asking someone to make a leap of faith. Some key quotes from Keller on that last item... "The situation is out of my hands really," he said. "I have another few days left at Southampton; then I will go back to Tottenham and see what my options are once we get to January. "There are two new teams in MLS, so that is one possibility. But I would feel more than comfortable staying at the highest level in Europe for two or three more years. If someone feels the same they know where to find me." Discuss.
Keller is on the Sky Sports Team of the Week... http://skysports.planetfootball.com/list.asp?hlid=241974&CPID=&clid=&channel=Football_Home_Page
I think you'd have a hard time winning that. While it sound like Keller had a good showing in his month long loan to Southampton and should have improved his own worth... I dont' think this would be the best loan of the season. Why? Well because of the results. With Keller, saints managed 4 points from three matches. While you can say Keller could have been the difference in the 1 win, I don't know if you can say Niemi wouldn't have done just as well (he's played well this year). Also in the ManU game, while Keller pulled off some nice saves (I still haven't seen any fantastic ones in the highlights shows so look forward to seeing it in entirity later) the team still lost handily. So, I'm going to say it was a successful loan, albeit short lived, and benefitted both sides.... but probably not best loan of the season.
Niemi is the normal starter, though, right? Isn't the reason for the loan that he's been out injured? In which case, the question isn't how Niemi would have done, it's how his backup would have done.
No, there's no indication of the loan being extended. If Glory-Glory.net is to be believed, Spurs have relegated Keller to third choice goalkeeper and are simply waiting until the January window to let him leave on a free transfer. I presume sending him out on another loan might result Spurs having to keep him on the books longer, though this is purely speculation. Nonetheless, it looks like Jol had no interest in keeping Kasey once he took over, which is why he was loaned out -- not to keep him sharp, but to establish precedent for having Fulop on the bench instead.
Bingo. I'm sure Southampton is very pleased with Kasey's work and attitude while he was there, but Niemi played so well when healthy this year they can't have any interest in Kasey as a starter, and Kasey can't have any interest in being their backup instead of Robinson's backup, so we all move on.
Well, saying that Keller plays well against Man U is like saying George Bush is President. Keller is always up for big games, whether club or country (remember Brazil?), Man U specially. How many times has Keller "stood on his head" while playing against Man U?
I give up - How many times has Keller "stood on his head" while playing Manchester United? To be specific, I didn't say Keller plays well against ManU, I said he did on this one particular day - play well. Keller is still a very good keeper (my opinion)... but please don't point to the Brazil match to support he's always up for big games. That was early in 1998 - 6.5 years ago. At the time Keller was with Leicester City - a lot has happened since then.
The point I was making is that in big games against big teams he plays well. Last years he was fantastic against Man U and Ars*nal (just off the top of my head), but struggles against the likes of West Ham. I used Brazil as an example of a big team he played incredably against that everybody would know - and I don't like using it as an example.
I see what you're saying... and yes I too remember Keller being big last year against ManU and Arse. I wasn't really trying to be nasty earlier - and I see why you mentioned the Brazil match. I just have friend that keeps using that match to say why Keller is CURRENTLY one of the best keepers in the world... and I want to smack sense into him but it just doesn't work
Who in the P'ship needs a keeper? Van der Saar leaving Fulham. There's been talk of Robert Green leaving Norwich. Cudicini leaving Chelsea - Not likely, although if I'm Kasey being a backup at Chelsea wouldn't be a bad thing. The Quad Where else?
Possibly Saints best player of the year. But that still says less about Keller than how crap Wigley is.
IIRC, Keller did poorly (or at least not so well) against Arsenal last year (or was it the year before). I recall a lot of criticism here (and in the English press) when Keller contributed to Tottenham's loss of the London derby. IIRC, he gave up a boneheaded PK by unnecessarily fouling Henry.
So I'm watching the UCL game between Real and Roma and Tommy Smyth is going on about how Iker Casillas hasn't signed a contract yet and blah, blah, blah. Any chance a former La Liga, former Madrid (city of) 'keeper who also happens to be America's #1 makes his way to the Galacticos? Just a thought. Thx, Jay!
And a nice thought... but are you seriously thinking that Real Madrid may look to replace the 23 year old Casillas with a 35 year old backup keeper? Yes I know it's Keller. Personally I think Kasey could get the job done there, but I just don't see it happening.
Casillas isn't leaving Real Madrid. Despite the fact that RM probably needs a better backup, I don't believe KK would be who they're looking for. The opportunity for that would have been immediately after his Rayo term. It obviously didn't happen, and I will say with some assurance that it won't happen, either. The only Real he'll be signing for will be Salt Lake.
Spain has a foreign (non-EU) player limit. If not, he may have been a plausible candidate for them, if they didn't have Cesar already. But, as I've said before, Kasey can be a top back-up with a decent EPL side. (even if the Spurs aren't looking at him the same way)
At this point I stil think Keller's MLS card isn't something he's aiming for. I suspect he's hoping for something to come up in the winter transfer window.
I respect US players right to go to Europe to make a living as much as the next guy. But at some point, doesn't Keller believe in some responsibility to help build US soccer back home. Does he plan to play until 45? Many of the national teamers came home in 96 and gave up a few years in Europe. O'Brien and Reyna still have years left before a return is reasonable. But after the 06 WC, I think it's time if it ever will be for Keller to maybe gain some satisfaction by helping build a franchise back home.
I highly doubt that he would go to RM. I would think they would want a better back up than Keller. I also think Keller will stay in Europe, at least for another season.
This is an arguement that I really don't understand. It would be great to believe him to be good and true, but just by being a mainstay on the national team he is making it. His help would be better if he were a coach, or ran a clinic rather than displace another, younger, keeper.