Republic of Ireland international striker Robbie Keane has said that he plans to carry on playing for his country as long as possible.

The 33-year-old will start his coaching qualifications in the New Year but is intent on extending his playing career as long as possible.

"Of course it's certainly something that I'm looking to," the Daily Mail quotes him as saying. "But it's first and foremost to play as long as I can, obviously.

"I wish I had done the badges a few years ago, just to have, and that's the reason why I'm doing it because it's something that down the road I would like to get in to.

"This January I'm speaking to the FAI about doing something. And that's not because in the next year or so I feel I'll become a coach, far from it."

Keane has scored 61 goals in 130 international matches for Ireland so far in his career.