Post by Taxigirl on Jul 30, 2004 17:00:40 GMT
news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/tottenham_hotspur/3934981.stm
Tottenham's Robbie Keane will miss the first month of the season after it was confirmed he has ankle ligament damage.
The injury, which occurred during Wednesday's defeat at Rangers, will keep Keane out for four to six weeks.
The 24-year-old told the club's website he was "a quick healer" which will delight boss Jacques Santini, who said his injury was "a major problem".
Santini may now turn again to Lens' Olivier Thomert, who was the subject of a £2.6m offer from Santini this week.
Unless the move for Thomert comes off, Santini will begin the season with just two senior strikers, Jermain Defoe and Frederic Kanoute.
And the manager has not enjoyed the best relationship with Kanoute in the past, with the striker reported as having chosen to play for Mali ahead of France because he did not like Santini.
However, Kanoute will be his only serious option to partner Defoe in the absence of Keane with Helder Postiga having returned to Porto this summer for £5m.
"For this to have happened in the two weeks before the start of the championship is a serious problem," said Santini after the Rangers game.
"The club need Robbie Keane for the first match against Liverpool but now I do not know if he will be able to play.
Keane sustained the injury when Marvin Andrews attempted to block a shot after 27 minutes.
And the injury further heightens the problems facing Santini, who is already without winger Simon Davies, who has had surgery to clear up a shin problem.
Tottenham's Robbie Keane will miss the first month of the season after it was confirmed he has ankle ligament damage.
The injury, which occurred during Wednesday's defeat at Rangers, will keep Keane out for four to six weeks.
The 24-year-old told the club's website he was "a quick healer" which will delight boss Jacques Santini, who said his injury was "a major problem".
Santini may now turn again to Lens' Olivier Thomert, who was the subject of a £2.6m offer from Santini this week.
Unless the move for Thomert comes off, Santini will begin the season with just two senior strikers, Jermain Defoe and Frederic Kanoute.
And the manager has not enjoyed the best relationship with Kanoute in the past, with the striker reported as having chosen to play for Mali ahead of France because he did not like Santini.
However, Kanoute will be his only serious option to partner Defoe in the absence of Keane with Helder Postiga having returned to Porto this summer for £5m.
"For this to have happened in the two weeks before the start of the championship is a serious problem," said Santini after the Rangers game.
"The club need Robbie Keane for the first match against Liverpool but now I do not know if he will be able to play.
Keane sustained the injury when Marvin Andrews attempted to block a shot after 27 minutes.
And the injury further heightens the problems facing Santini, who is already without winger Simon Davies, who has had surgery to clear up a shin problem.