CARSON, Calif. – Robbie Keane arrived at LA Galaxy's preseason camp Monday morning, and the first topic for discussion was a former and future teammate of his – and how great an impact that teammate would make.
Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard arrives in July, and nobody with the Galaxy knows the midfielder's qualities quite like Keane, who played against him for many years and was a teammate with the Reds the latter half of 2008.
“He's one of [the best midfielders I've played with], he and Roy Keane, I would say, definitely would be up there,” Keane said following his first training session of the year at StubHub Center. “His ability to make players around him even better [will be] a big thing when he comes. Players will see how good he is and how simple he makes things. ... He's certainly going to be a huge help to this team.”
Keane said he's spoken with his friend since the Jan. 7 announcement of the former England national team captain's acquisition, and that Gerrard is “very, very excited and can't wait to come over.”
“I'm not surprised [he decided to come to MLS] because a lot of players want to come over here and know how good the league is,” said Keane, who joined the Galaxy in August 2011. “He's looking forward to the new challenge [and it's] something new for him. He's from Liverpool himself, he's never left home, so I'm sure he's going to enjoy it over here and, most importantly, help us win championships.”
Gerrard reminds Keane a bit of former Galaxy star David Beckham.
“Most games you watch with him, they're exactly the same: Dominates the midfield and creates chances for people and keeping the ball and spraying passes 50, 70 yards and finding people's feet every time ...,” Keane said. “He's kind of similar in passing range to Becks.”
Keane said he'd help Gerrard acclimate to a new team, league, country and culture – “I've been speaking to him, kind of [advising] him where to live and stuff like that” – and that he expects the 34-year-old Englishman to “settle in very, very quickly. Good players settle in quickly.”
Keane, the Galaxy's captain, said he felt fit and ready to go after spending the “last few weeks itching to get back playing again.”
“I took a few weeks off but kept myself busy,” said Keane, who was MLS's MVP last year and scored 23 goals with 18 assists in all competitions, including the overtime winner in the MLS Cup triumph over New England. “Still play my friends five-a-side every week. Keep myself fit. Full training session today after getting off the flight [Sunday] night, but I feel fine.”
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He arrives to a very different Galaxy team, one without Landon Donovan, who retired after last month's title game, and Marcelo Sarvas, who was sent to Colorado in a trade.
“You lose two good players like that, it's going to be difficult,” Keane said. “But I think it's important for this team [for] players like myself, we'll have to step up even more now, because we're losing experienced players and players that bring a lot to the team. But we've got good, quality players. We've been together now for a few good years.
“Of course, you don't want to lose players like that, but we have to, as a team, now get together and make sure we hit the ground running.”
