Entries Tagged 'Joe Keenan' ↓

The Melbourne Victory has officially announced what the Costa Rican press and many Victory fans have known for months: José Luis López has signed a 2-year loan deal with Melbourne.

Joe Keenan makes way for the Costa Rican international, ensuring Melbourne doesn’t spill over its quota of 4 visa players. Keenan is yet to sign a deal elsewhere, but trialled with the Newcastle Jets in May and has been passing around his resumé in the UK.

“Pupy” López, a holding midfielder, has been a regular starter in Costa Rica’s leading club, Deportivo Saprissa. He was also the captain of Costa Rica’s Olympic squad in 2004.

Ernie Merrick on the signing:

“We were always aiming to add another creative, holding midfielder and the job description really meant that we wanted someone with good experience.”

The Sydney Morning Herald

Signing a holding midfielder has been on Merrick’s to-do list for a while now, and López certainly seems like good value. At 27, he adds experience to a midfield stuffed with Olyroos. And if Carlos Hernández is anything to go by, a talented Costa Rican certainly has the potential to create headaches for A-League opposition.

But there’s something ominous about Merrick’s insistence on the need for another holding midfielder. This is a coach who, if you’ll remember, played three defensive midfielders for half of last season. Talk all you like about delivering attacking football, but when you stick Leigh Broxham, Kevin Muscat and Grant Brebner in the centre of the park, you have to wonder where that attacking spirit is going to come from.

Of course, that threesome was eventually dismantled, as Grant Brebner dropped out injured and Kevin Muscat was pulled back into defence.

With López, Merrick once again has the luxury of stacking his midfield with defensive players. Especially if Grant Brebner ever recovers from his groin injury.

Two holding midfielders is bearable. But please Ernie, please don’t put on three! I beg you.

The Newcastle Jets have turned their eyes to Melbourne in search of new players to add to their title-defending squad.

Joe Keenan is on a three-day trial with the Newcastle Jets, according to The Herald:

The 25-year-old has a season to run on a two-year deal in the Victorian capital, but coach Ernie Merrick has opened the way for him to move on.

Keenan’s departure will pave the way for Melbourne to sign another foreign player, likely to be Costa Rican defender José Luis López.

Antun Kovacic is also on trial with the Jets. Some Victory fans may remember the Richmond defender for his brief addition to the squad in season 1 as an injury replacement.

Newcastle have also been touted as a possible destination for Kaz Patafta, who has severed ties with Benfica FC.

And just to round things off, another former Victory player has been talking with Jets coach Gary Van Egmond. Ljubo Milicevic, it appears, has not been able to find a new club since he parted ways with the Victory in February.

Hey Gary, you want to check out Leandro Love as well?

Surprise, surprise: Leandro Love will be one of the three foreign players in the Melbourne Victory’s Asian Champions League squad.

Frankly, I thought the Brazilian was on his way out, but Ernie Merrick has decided to keep Love on hand:

“We need to keep as many attacking players in the squad as we can. We’ve really got no shortage of defensive or midfield players.”

Ernie Merrick (Herald Sun)

Carlos Hernández appears a certain selection for the Asian Champions League, leaving either Grant Brebner or Joe Keenan to get the drop. While Keenan has not managed to work his way into Merrick’s favourite eleven, Brebner hasn’t started since December. Both have struggled with injury.

Of course, Merrick could leave them both out and sign some fresh foreign talent instead – but considering the club’s current inability to attract new Australian players, this appears unlikely.

One important decision which Ernie Merrick will have to make in the next month is which international player he leaves out of the Melbourne Victory squad for the Asian Champions League.

Coaches have to get their 30-player squad lists in by the 11th of February. One of the stipulations is that each team can only have three foreign players.

This means that one of Melbourne’s four internationals is going to miss out on the Champions League.

Our international players are:

• Carlos Hernandez
• Grant Brebner
• Joe Keenan
• Leandro Love

Who should Merrick leave out?

Vote in the sidebar and leave your comments below.

Matthew Kemp’s counterpart on the left side of defense is Joe Keenan, another new recruit set to bid for a regular role in the Victory squad.

Keenan, an Englishman who has enjoyed spells at Chelsea, VC Westerlo and Willem II, has been assigned defensive duties – a role which contrasts with his history as a midfielder, but reflects Melbourne’s strength in midfield. Gary Cole touts him as someone who can “offer creativity as well as the ability to defend.”

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One of the Victory’s new signings, Joe Keenan endeared himself to fans this week by praising their support during the first official match of the pre-season against the Oakleigh Cannons. “The fans seem very knowledgeable and passionate, and I hope I can become a favourite with them”; talk like that is a good start and of course it helped that he had a decent game as well.

Keenan, a 24 year old from Southampton, England, is usually hyped as a former Chelsea player, although he only really made three appearances in their shirt. He was then loaned to KVC Westerlo in Belgium where he eventually rejected an offer, preferring to return to England and play for Brentford for a month, still on loan from Chelsea. His life as a loanee continued in the Netherlands with Eredivisie side Willem II. He spent the past season there, mostly in a fringe role. He has 1 goal on record for Willem II, against FC Zwolle.

It is clear from his history that he has largely filled a midfielder’s role throughout his career, not that of a leftback, which is what he has been recruited for at Melbourne. This would lead me to believe that he is likely to push forward regularly, in much the same way that Alessandro did last season.

Keenan is currently enjoying a honeymoon period with the Victory fans. Hopefully, the honeymoon translates into a fruitful career in Melbourne.