Robbie Keane eyes more success with Ireland and LA Galaxy, blogs Johnny Phillips

Sixty-one goals. Most great players on an international stage would be happy with 61 caps.

Keane's own playing future will continue in America. His 2013 season came to a premature end with LA Galaxy's play-off defeat to Real Salt Lake but it hasn't dampened his enthusiasm for continuing his career in Major League Soccer. "I'm looking forward to the future," Keane explained. "I've just verbally agreed a two-year contract, maybe extending to three. I'm certainly excited about that and playing for the Galaxy in the future. I didn't think I was going to go there and then come back to the Premier League, but I'm enjoying my football there and the club has been very good to me. "As soon as you hit that 30 age mark in football, people are reluctant to give you contracts but this will be the third contract I've signed since I've been there and it shows the faith they have in me. "Since I've been there, it's been a strong league. It's a tough league because of the structure that works there with everyone competing at roughly the same level. Every team can beat every other so it's very competitive. "When people come over to play in it, I always tell them, 'don't think you're coming over for a holiday'. There's a lot of pressure on the three designated players [each team can sign three players outside of the league's salary cap] as people are expecting you to deliver all the time."

Key

LA Galaxy's elimination in the play-offs brought an end to hopes of a third successive MLS Cup after they defeated Houston Dynamo in each of the last two finals. Keane has played a key role in those successes, but admitted that a third title would have been undeserved after the club struggled during the regular campaign. Whilst he is back in Ireland during the close season, he is taking time out to gain some coaching qualifications, although he was keen to point out his career is not winding down. "I've still got a good few years left in me," he added. "But I'm looking to do my coaching badges in January in Ireland. The FAI has a good structure here to help players if they want to do that. It's something I'm passionate about and need to get into if I want to stay in the game." Coaching is for another day. For now the focus is on being part of another new chapter in Irish football, and hopefully scoring goal number 62. Then 63....and 64.... You can see our full interview with Robbie Keane on this weekend's Soccer Saturday.