Ardiles - Keane set to shine this season

Tottenham Hotspur and Argentina legend Ossie Ardiles is tipping Robbie Keane to regain his position as number one striker at White Hart Lane.

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Keane was farmed out to Celtic midway through last season after falling behind Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch and Roman Pavyluchenko in the pecking order.

But despite continuous speculation about a fresh move away from North London, Keane has returned from Parkhead, and after impressing for Spurs during their pre-season tour of North America, he is expected to stay.

And with Spurs competing in both the Premiership and the Champions League this year, manager Harry Redknapp should be in a position to give the Dubliner more chances in big matches.

Ardiles got to see Keane at close quarters during their tour of North America.

Speaking to RTÉ's Sport At Seven, he said: 'I was with Spurs for the tour of North America and we had these questions before the tour.

'If you had asked these questions two weeks ago, more or less everyone was saying Robbie was going. And I believe that Robbie was thinking he was going.

‘But he was the best striker in these games. Robbie is a very special player.

'Robbie likes to feel he is loved and that he is number one. Somehow he lost that at Spurs last season. He was not the most important player and his form started to suffer.

'Now things have changed. I have a feeling that Robbie will be happy to carry on with Spurs.'

<notforsyndication>Listen to the entire Ossie Ardiles interview on Radio One's Sport At Seven show tonight.</notforsyndication>