The midfielder signed with Hibs after successful trials this week and said: "I was very good friends with Grant and he had nothing but praise for the club. He made me feel very welcome when I went to Melbourne so he was one of the first people I talked to.

"I was over there and I just thought that, at 25, my career would just pass me by there. It's hard to go anywhere from there.

"The league is up and coming and it's a great lifestyle, but I wanted to play back in Europe. My agent started putting my name out and Hibs got in touch. They invited me to come for a trial game with St Johnstone and I must have done okay. The Chelsea thing was great, but the reality was it was only three games and I had to leave them. I enjoyed my time in Belgium, Holland and Australia, but I want to settle somewhere now."

Keenan admits he has strong ties to Edinburgh.

"My mum is from Edinburgh and my uncle Iain is a big Hibs fan and used to talk about them a lot so there is some history there," he said. "My uncle drove me around the stadium when I was younger and told me all about the club, but he was too tight to take me to see a game!

"I also knew Filipe Morais and Yves Ma-Kalambay from my Chelsea days as well so in many ways it was quite easy to fit in."