No regrets Keane unfancied by Benitez

Tottenham’s Robbie Keane looked forward to Sunday’s clash against rivals Arsenal with no regrets about his time at Liverpool, saying: “Sometimes the manager just doesn’t fancy you”.

Irishman Keane, sold for 20 million pounds to Liverpool in the summer then bought back for 12 million by Tottenham this week under new manager Harry Redknapp, had been cast aside by Reds boss Rafael Benitez who made it clear he never really wanted Keane in the first place.

Keane brought to an end a disappointingly brief spell at Liverpool on transfer deadline day when he re-signed for his former club, just months after realising his boyhood dream of becoming Anfield’s number seven.

But he admits that dream soon turned sour when he failed to establish himself in Benitez’s squad and scored just seven goals on Merseyside.

The final straw appeared to come when he was left out of the squad for the crucial clash against Chelsea, a match the Reds won 2-0 as the Irishman shivered in the stands.

But since then his fortunes have taken a remarkably swift upturn and he will lead Spurs out in the north London derby as the club’s new captain.

Keane can already feel the difference.

“Things happen for a reason. It didn’t work out for me and now I’m back with a fantastic club and a fantastic manager who believes in his players,” Keane said.

“I’m training with a smile on my face again. I did everything I had to do (at Liverpool), did everything possible to play but sometimes the manager just doesn’t fancy you, simple as that.

“But not playing is difficult. It’s difficult to take being left out of a squad. That hasn’t happened to me since I started playing when I was 17.

“But I don’t regret anything I do in football and I’m a Tottenham player now. Tottenham is a club that’s close to my heart and I’m really looking forward to going out there and putting that jersey on.

“Liverpool is the past and I’m concentrating on the future.”