Ahead of Liverpool's clash against Wolves, one player who has represented both clubs believes his Anfield stay would have been more successful with someone else in charge
Fernando Torres of Liverpool celebrates with his team mates after scoring his team's second goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester City and Liverpool at The City of Manchester Stadium
Robbie Keane believes his short-lived Liverpool career could have been a different story with someone else in charge
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Unsuccessful Liverpool signing Robbie Keane believes his stint at Anfield could have been a lot different if Rafa Benitez had shown him more respect. The Republic of Ireland great joined the Reds in 2008 but left again just six months later after failing to gel under the Spanish manager.
Keane, 45, landed on Merseyside amid high hopes following a fruitful career at Tottenham. Despite managing a respectable tally of 12 direct goal contributions (seven goals, five assists) in 28 games for the Reds, he was promptly shipped back to Spurs in February 2009.
According to Keane - whose first senior club, Wolves, are set to face off against Liverpool on Saturday - it was his relationship with Benitez that ultimately soured his Anfield experience. However, he's confident things would have turned out differently under a different boss.
"Of course I wish it had gone differently, but I have no regrets," he told Icon magazine in 2009. "I do believe with a different manager it would have worked for me, but different managers have different methods and some have different ideas than those you are used to or believe in.
"People have their own opinions of Benitez. I have nothing against him and will leave people to make their own minds up about him. When you've been around for a while as a player, all you want is a bit of respect and to be treated the way you feel you deserve to be."
There were flashes of brilliance at Liverpool for Keane, who arrived to help plug the gap left by Peter Crouch's departure. Yet his combination play with the likes of Fernando Torres and Dirk Kuyt didn't prove as productive as many had anticipated.
Keane, whose alleged boyhood love of Liverpool has been questioned, went without a goal in his opening 11 Premier League appearances for the Reds, though he did provide four assists in that barren spell. His drought finally came to an end with a double against West Brom in November 2008, whilst he also netted the leveller in a 1-1 stalemate at Arsenal the following month.
One could grasp the logic behind offloading an ageing frontman who managed to find the net in just three of his 19 league appearances for the club. Predictably, his goal tally improved once more at Tottenham, indicating it was more of a system issue rather than the player simply being falling short.
Liverpool manager Rafael Ben?tez (L) stands with new signing Robbie Keane at the club's Melwood training complex
Keane arrived at Anfield with plenty of promise
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When it comes to which boss got the most out of Keane's talents, that accolade belongs to Gordon Strachan. The Scot handed a teenage Keane his opportunity at Coventry in 1999, after which the youngster secured another ill-fated move to Inter Milan.
"My time at Coventry was very important," Keane continued. "I got to work with Gordon Strachan, the best manager I have ever played for. He is a fantastic man-manager who has always known how to get the best out of a player."
Liverpool Manager Rafael Benitez talks with Robbie Keane during the pre season friendly match between Liverpool and Lazio at Anfield
However, things quickly soured under Benitez
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Keane's remarks suggest a perceived lack of effective man management during his time at Anfield. And he wasn't the only acquisition from that late 2000s era who didn't live up to expectations.
Benitez himself was shown the door from Liverpool, parting ways by mutual agreement in the summer of 2010. Keane hung up his boots in 2018 and has since transitioned into management, currently at the helm of Hungarian heavyweights Ferencvaros.
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