Robbie Keane was unveiled today as a new Liverpool player declaring that he had not let Tottenham down by leaving for what is a "new chapter in my life".

Tottenham Hotspur are resigned to losing both Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane after complaining to the Premier League that the strikers had been tapped up by Manchester United and Liverpool respectively and were now a "negative influence" in the dressing room who lacked commitment.

Giovanni Trapattoni, the manager, will ask Robbie Keane to reprise Francesco Totti's role in his Republic of Ireland masterplan. The 27-year-old captain was asked to play off central striker Kevin Doyle in the hole in front of Trapattoni's midfield quartet against Serbia on Saturday, and will do the same against Colombia at Craven Cottage this evening. The Italian is hoping the Tottenham frontman can help provide the link as he attempts to replace a long-ball approach with a more dynamic style.

Giovanni Trapattoni has chosen to retain Robbie Keane as Republic of Ireland captain and will meet defenders Steve Finnan and Andy O'Brien in an attempt to persuade them to come out of international retirement.

Kevin Keegan, the Newcastle United manager, has said he will not discipline the striker Obafemi Martins for his petulant reaction to being substituted during the 1-1 Premier League draw at Birmingham City on Monday.

A Spaniard tilting in a land of windmills has been a wild dream before and last night Juande Ramos's Spurs side crashed out of the Uefa Cup on penalties. They forced extra time through a sweet Dimitar Berbatov strike but it was not enough on a night of desperate, chaotic endeavour with Ramos, the man from Don Quixote country, La Mancha, failing in his attempt to win this trophy a third year in a row.

Given that cup football is so dominating their landscape, Tottenham now face the fortnight that could make or break Juande Ramos's first English winter. Their Premier League programme put to bed for three weeks with this predictable victory, they travel in midweek for a Uefa Cup tie with Slavia Prague that inconveniently concludes only 65 hours before their Carling Cup final against Chelsea.

Who'd be a dad? The son smashes your Mercedes up and then expects you to salvage his golf game in time for the biggest tournament on the European Tour.