Robbie Keane (& Claudine Palmer) to L.A. Galaxy

by NowPublic Staff | August 17, 2011 at 10:42 am

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Robbie Keane in MLS Move

Robbie Keane, Ireland's national team captain and the nation's top goal-scorer, signed a $4.5 million two-year deal to join the L.A. Galaxy.

The Independent is stepping up to provide the tall poppy treatment, saying that the Galaxy is trying to buy respect by signing the 31-year-old Keane, whose ego prefers that he be a big fish in a smaller pond.

Keane will be on the same team as global star David Beckham and US World Cup hero Landon Donovan. All three would bristle at The Herald's description of Keane's move, which is, in essence, that he is putting himself out to pasture:

Players don't move to a club like LA Galaxy to kick-start a stalled career or to feed a hunger for top class football. Moving to LA Galaxy is the equivalent of Bono quitting U2 to move to Las Vegas and front a showband with the left-overs from The Commitments.

The WAG Question: Who is Robbie Keane's Wife?

Robbie Keane is married to Claudine Palmer, former Miss Ireland. They've been married for just over three years and have one son.

Claudine Palmer Pics

Robbie Keane was on Tottenham Hotspur (who bought him back after a mega-sale to Liverpool), but has been on loan to Celtic (Scottish Premiere League). Keane also appeared for West Ham Utd. and the NY Cosmos. He is taking a bit of a pay cut in exchange for the Southern California weather.

His contemporaries could argue that Keane's career is pretty much over, but, in the US, MLS is as good as it gets.