- Kevin Thomson recalls iconic 2010 Old Firm clash with Robbie Keane at Ibrox as Irishman linked with Hoops job.
- Rangers won 1-0 via Maurice Edu late winner in a fiercely physical encounter dominated by midfielder.
- Thomson says his aim was to “lay a mark” and set the tone at Ibrox as Keane set for return.
Robbie Keane is emerging as the leading contender to become the next manager of Celtic, but renewed attention on his previous spell in Scottish football has also revived memories of a night when he found life anything but straightforward against Rangers.
With reports suggesting the former striker has stepped down from his role at Ferencvaros, the focus has quickly shifted to his managerial prospects.
Parkhead is now widely viewed as a potential next destination following Martin O’Neill’s interim reign in charge.
Yet the last time Keane was in Scotland’s Old Firm spotlight, he endured a far more abrasive evening than his reputation might suggest.
Robbie Keane Ibrox welcome
At Ibrox in 2010, Rangers edged a fiercely contested derby 1-0 courtesy of a last-minute Maurice Edu winner.
The match itself was defined by an uncompromising physical tone and early challenges that set the rhythm for the evening.
Former Rangers midfielder Kevin Thomson later reflected on the mindset behind that approach.
The former Hibs captain making clear that Keane’s arrival at Ibrox was viewed as an opportunity to impose themselves from the outset.
“I need to lay my mark,” Thomson said, describing the mentality that shaped his early involvement in the contest.
“I just like to put my stamp on a game.
“When people come to Ibrox, they need to know they are in a game.”
Thomson also recalled how quickly the contest escalated once Keane became involved in the physical exchanges, with tempers rising as the match developed.
“Me and Robbie exchanged words,” he said. “After the second tackle, we exchanged words.”
The former midfielder admitted that the reaction from the visiting striker only intensified the situation.
“The worst thing Robbie could have done was pull me,” Thomson said. “It made me a wee bit angrier than I already was.”
Kevin Thomson talks up Robbie Keane talent
While the match ultimately swung in Rangers’ favour through Edu’s late strike.
Thomson was candid about the tone of the evening and his desire to ensure no opponent dictated proceedings at Ibrox.
“I wanted to make sure he knew who I was and that he knew he was in a game,” he said.
Despite the physical edge to the encounter, he was also careful to acknowledge Keane’s quality.
Thomson stressing that the approach was about competitive edge rather than disrespect.
“Nothing takes away from his talent,” Thomson added.
“He was a brilliant, world-class football player.”
Rangers would run away with the Premiership title that season, with Keane and Celtic finishing six points behind Walter Smith’s side, who had the title won by late April.
Readrangers.com analysis – Jack Cranmer
Now retired, Keane has been managing in Hungary for the past 18 months, winning the league title in his first half-season before losing out to Gyori ETO this campaign to end Ferencvaros’ seven-year reign as champions.
He did however, defeat Danny Rohl’s Ibrox side in the Europa League earlier this season.
Keane may believe his potential move into the Celtic hotseat represents a timely return to Scottish football’s sharp end, but his last experience in Glasgow suggested anything but a comfortable homecoming.
But the broader takeaway from that evening remains clear in hindsight.
Status counts for little in a fiercely contested Old Firm environment and in the Scottish Premiership.
And as Keane is now linked with a potential return to Scottish football, that afternoon in Govan lingers as a reminder that the welcome, if it comes, will not necessarily be warm
And also that Scottish football, particularly Rangers, have a habit of hitting hard and proving far tougher than any managerial homecoming narrative might suggest.
