Shane Long

[Peadar]

Shane has been called into the Ireland U21 squad to face Luxembourg next Wednesday.

[Peadar]

Shane came on late against Chelsea on Saturday. Didn't look out of place. Chased everything and caused a few problems. Could have done with a bit more time on the field. Lita was rubbish!

[Peadar]

It was never going to be easy for Reading against Arsenal but I thought Long showed a lot of promise and certainly wasn't phased by the opposition. He battled away. Hope he starts v Liverpool in the Carling Cup on Wednesday. He did well in that competition last season.

[Closed Account]

Long scores.
Liverpool 4-3 Reading
Come on the royals.
5 minutes to go.

[Irish Fan]

In my opionion Shane Long is better than Doyle! Anyone agree!?

[livehead1]

In my opionion Shane Long is better than Doyle! Anyone agree!?

jesus, no way. could be a better player in the long run, but dont be daft!

[elroy]

jesus, no way. could be a better player in the long run, but dont be daft!

I think potentially he could offer more than Doyle ie more of a presence in the box. The few games Ive seen him play, he seemed quite good in the air, which is something we definitely lack up front at the moment. But i think he has a long way to go yet, whereas Doyle is hot property in the premiership at the mo.

[cheifo]

A premiership strike force for a 100,000 quid.Some piece of business!
Hows Denis Behan getting on Cork fans?;)

[Den Perry]

Hes on a 5 game international ban for spitting at a Turkey player - he denies it - he says he never spat but the player went up to the linesman and showed him spit on his jersey and Long is now banned

Cabt find link but it was on elevenaside a while ago

cant fault him for spitting at one of that shower (if he did it!) the turks have been getting away with mthat **** for years....a good tipp man is young long

[Den Perry]

I think potentially he could offer more than Doyle ie more of a presence in the box. The few games Ive seen him play, he seemed quite good in the air, which is something we definitely lack up front at the moment. But i think he has a long way to go yet, whereas Doyle is hot property in the premiership at the mo.


Lets hope this conversation doesnt get too drawn out(sorry for the pun...couldnt resist)

Seriously, long looks a top class player....and a down to earth sort of young las as well

[livehead1]

A premiership strike force for a 100,000 quid.Some piece of business!
Hows Denis Behan getting on Cork fans?;)

they aint a premiership strikeforce. long defo aint up to it at the moment, think he will be though eventually.

[livehead1]

FFS he's only 18. Give him a chance will ya.

Never mind "FFS". What are you on about? Someone mentioned the fact that they are a 'premiership strikeforce', I am entitled to my opinion, and was pointing out that I don't believe Long is currently up to the standard expected of a premiership striker.

With regards to his age... did you read my post? I recall mentioning that he may be up to it in the future.

[Peadar]

Shane Long scored a hattrick against Arsenal Reserves last night, as Reading ran out 6-0 winners.
Jon Hayes and Stephen Hunt also featured for the Royals.

Joe O’Cearuill was in the Arsenal line-up.

[Stuttgart88]

Joe O’Cearuill was in the Arsenal line-up. I can't wait to hear how British commentators pronounce his name if he makes the first team.

Kayhill passes to Dockerty, who feeds Mayre. He lays it off to Joe O'Keeroowil but his shot his saved by Flawvon.

(references to Kevin Maher and Daryl Flahavan thrown in, as that's how their names were pronounced on ITV last week).

[republicofwhite]

Are you therefore suggesting that those not born in Ireland are less Irish than those who are?

Just thought I'd finish this debate once and for all. Who is more Irish? Shane Long, From Gortnahoe in County Tipperary, star of the Tipperary Minor Hurling team when he was sixteen, and also played for Cork City in the Ericom League, or Lee Frecklington of Lincoln City?(who was, for some inane reason, picked ahead of him)

Case Closed, methinks.

[Donal81]

Just thought I'd finish this debate once and for all. Who is more Irish? Shane Long, From Gortnahoe in County Tipperary, star of the Tipperary Minor Hurling team when he was sixteen, and also played for Cork City in the Ericom League, or Lee Frecklington of Lincoln City?(who was, for some inane reason, picked ahead of him)

Case Closed, methinks.

Don't really want to get into this as we've debated the 2G thing here endlessly. I don't know anything about Lee Frecklington, I don't know whether or not he's a chancer in the Noel Whelan mould. For argument's sake, let's assume he is, in which case you're taking two extremes and ignoring the middle ground. I don't think a crude definition of what is and isn't Irish helps anyone - surely there's a degree of personal choice - and least of all when that extreme is a GAA-playing son of the soil.

My mother feels as Irish as anyone, having lived here since she was 7. But she was born in Birmingham to Irish parents and felt English until she was in her late teens. Over ten years or so, she felt more at home here and felt less affinity with Birmingham and England.

A nationality isn't necessarily made of concrete - it can change. Frecklington may well just fancy a handy international career to boost his profile and knows we're looking for players. Or maybe he's always wanted to play for Ireland, who knows?

[pete]

Staunton has an inferiority complex. His quotes on searching the globe for talent back this up. For some reason he suggested Kerr ignored 2 & 3Gs when it was Kerr who brought McGeady into the squad. I would expect nothing less given the people Staunton has surrounded himself with. All are either english or wannabe english scouts/"advisors"...

All things being equal he will pick an english player with irish great granny than any irish player. How else can anyone explain picking a lincoln City player for a B international. Its not as if he justified the inclusion either on his performance.

[tetsujin1979]

For some reason he suggested Kerr ignored 2 & 3Gs when it was Kerr who brought McGeady into the squad.
1 player in 4 years, who had already declared for us, yeah Kerr was all about the 2nd and 3rd generation players.


I would expect nothing less given the people Staunton has surrounded himself with. All are either english or wannabe english scouts/"advisors"...
Staunton has spent the whole of his career in England, making contacts in English clubs, and being trained by English coaches. He respects their opinions and methods, we would say worse things about him if he brought in someone he knew nothing about

[Irish_Praha]

1 player in 4 years, who had already declared for us, yeah Kerr was all about the 2nd and 3rd generation players.


You forgot Jon Macken :)

[pete]

Staunton has spent the whole of his career in England, making contacts in English clubs, and being trained by English coaches. He respects their opinions and methods, we would say worse things about him if he brought in someone he knew nothing about

Kerr did not play these types of players because they were not good enough.

Staunton has added a whole lot of crap players to the current squad. A team mate saying they good enough isn't exactly unbiased...

:rolleyes:

[tetsujin1979]

Kerr did not play these types of players because they were not good enough.
Kerr only played 2 Eircom League players AFAIR (Crowe and Byrne), if the rest were not good enough under Kerr, what makes you think they're good enough for Staunton? He's already given Byrne more of a run out then Kerr did. The only players that really came through under Kerr were Andy Reid and Aiden McGeady, and he hardly gave McGeady a fair crack of the whip - although he wasn't playing well at the time.
Kerr was routinely criticised for not bringing in new players to the squad, his starting line up and tactics rarely changed from game to game, even from year to year. There were 10 players from his first game that played in his last game!! (For the record the players are: Carr, O'Brien, O'Shea, Dunne, Harte, S.Reid, Holland, Kilbane, Morrison, and Doherty). At least by bringing in the likes of Emanuel, Frecklington, Lawrence, Ledger, etc Staunton is trying something new.

A team mate saying they good enough isn't exactly unbiased...

:rolleyes:

What players recommended team mates? Ledger was recommended by Ron Atkinson (Staunton's former manager) after working with him at Peterborough. I don't know who recommended Frecklington or Emanuel.

[eirebhoy]

In fairness, Kerr brought in 15-20 players. He just didn't feel any of them were good enough for the first team.

[republicofwhite]

Don't really want to get into this as we've debated the 2G thing here endlessly. I don't know anything about Lee Frecklington, I don't know whether or not he's a chancer in the Noel Whelan mould. For argument's sake, let's assume he is, in which case you're taking two extremes and ignoring the middle ground. I don't think a crude definition of what is and isn't Irish helps anyone - surely there's a degree of personal choice - and least of all when that extreme is a GAA-playing son of the soil.

My mother feels as Irish as anyone, having lived here since she was 7. But she was born in Birmingham to Irish parents and felt English until she was in her late teens. Over ten years or so, she felt more at home here and felt less affinity with Birmingham and England.

A nationality isn't necessarily made of concrete - it can change. Frecklington may well just fancy a handy international career to boost his profile and knows we're looking for players. Or maybe he's always wanted to play for Ireland, who knows?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be parochial and outwardly nationalist, but its got be dismaying when outstanding homegrown talent like Long (scored goals in the Championship, agaisnt Liverpool, and figures regularly in the Premiership) is disregarded. And in his place, a random and may I court controversy, wholeheartedly English(Until 3 weeks ago maybe) Lincoln City player. I remember George O'Callaghan saying he got into a massive fight with Brian Kerr because Kerr brought on some inferior British Exeter player instead of him in an underage game. O'Callaghan felt it was an absolute joke,and didn't play for Ireland again, but he was so right. Where's the pride in the indigenous set up?

[Superhoops]

I don't know who recommended Frecklington or Emanuel.
John Deehan, former Villa and Norwich player is Director of Football at Lincoln City and is 'scouting' for Staunton in the south of England.

[republicofwhite]

Its a real pity that Stan is manager at this current time. I actually think we have decent players(when most are fully fit) and there are some great young lads coming through... But you need someone who actually has a scooby doo to take advantage... I stand by my judgement that a draw against the Czech's was the worst possible result we could have got. If we lost, he'd be gone by now. If only...

[pete]

There is no pride any more. Steven Staunton is our manager. We lose to teams like Cyprus badly.

But at least our tactics change every game cos we have none. :eek:

Back on topic, If Staunton thinks players good enough he should actually go & watch himself. He asked Steven Carr & Damian Duff for their opinions of Alan O'Brien & since he only played part of a pre season friendly they probbaly never played with him in first team game. :rolleyes:

[Paddy Garcia]

but its got be dismaying when outstanding homegrown talent like Long (scored goals in the Championship, agaisnt Liverpool, and figures regularly in the Premiership) is disregarded. And in his place, a random and may I court controversy, wholeheartedly English(Until 3 weeks ago maybe) Lincoln City player.

They are not competing for the same position:confused:

[tetsujin1979]

In fairness, Kerr brought in 15-20 players. He just didn't feel any of them were good enough for the first team.

Just out of curiosity, what players did Kerr cap?
Off the top of my head

Paddy Kenny
Nicky Colgan (not 100% on him)
John Thompson
Liam Miller
Andy Reid
Stephen Elliott
Martin Rowlands
John Byrne
Clive Clarke
Aiden McGeady
Jon Macken

Out of these, Kenny, Elliot (when he's been fit), Andy Reid and McGeady have gone on to be mainstays in the squad. Miller still has a chance but he has to make up for 2 years at United when he rarely played.

[eirebhoy]

Andy Reid
Liam Miller
Alan Lee
Alan Quinn
Paddy Kenny
Martin Rowlands
Aiden McGeady
Stephen Elliott
Jon Douglas
Clive Clarke
Joe Murphy
John Thompson
Jason Byrne
Michael Doyle
Jon Macken

Paddy McCarthy and Kevin Doyle were also in a squad or 2 while Kavanagh became a regular squad memeber under Kerr.

[Donal81]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be parochial and outwardly nationalist, but its got be dismaying when outstanding homegrown talent like Long (scored goals in the Championship, agaisnt Liverpool, and figures regularly in the Premiership) is disregarded. And in his place, a random and may I court controversy, wholeheartedly English(Until 3 weeks ago maybe) Lincoln City player. I remember George O'Callaghan saying he got into a massive fight with Brian Kerr because Kerr brought on some inferior British Exeter player instead of him in an underage game. O'Callaghan felt it was an absolute joke,and didn't play for Ireland again, but he was so right. Where's the pride in the indigenous set up?

I would put Long's absence down to the downright insanity that's going on at management level. Frecklington could be as Irish as they come but Long - I think - deserves his place in the full squad. He's in the Premiership with a team that's doing relatively well - end of debate, really. That's the issue for me, more than a debate over who's more Irish.

[cavan_fan]

I know this has been said before but:

Lee Frecklington is a Central Midfielder of the agressive type. He may or may not be any good but you cannot ask why he was picked ahead of Shane Long who is a striker.

So the debate should be Lee Frecklington versus Defnesive Midfielders who werent picked.

Shane Long versus strikers who were picked.

I for one reckon Stan will find one class player from his bizarre picks section (maybe St Ledger) and will then be able to claim it was all part of the masterplan.

By the way it's interesting that no-one is p*ssed off that Joe O'Cearuill is picked by Frecklington and Emannuel seem to raise hackles, presumably on the basis of their English sounding surnames.

[Donal81]

I know this has been said before but:

Lee Frecklington is a Central Midfielder of the agressive type. He may or may not be any good but you cannot ask why he was picked ahead of Shane Long who is a striker.

So the debate should be Lee Frecklington versus Defnesive Midfielders who werent picked.

Shane Long versus strikers who were picked.

I for one reckon Stan will find one class player from his bizarre picks section (maybe St Ledger) and will then be able to claim it was all part of the masterplan.

A very good point. If I knew the first thing about Frecklington (such as his position), I'd have been able to make it!


By the way it's interesting that no-one is p*ssed off that Joe O'Cearuill is picked by Frecklington and Emannuel seem to raise hackles, presumably on the basis of their English sounding surnames.

Interesting indeed.

[pete]

By the way it's interesting that no-one is p*ssed off that Joe O'Cearuill is picked by Frecklington and Emannuel seem to raise hackles, presumably on the basis of their English sounding surnames.

Joe O'Cearuill was only on pitch for short time in B International as he got his head split open. Emannuel on the other hand played possibly all the game but just didn't impress me.

[Paddy Garcia]

Joe O'Cearuill & he was only on pitch for short time in B International as he got his head split open. Emannuel on the other hand played possibly all the game but just didn't impress me.

That post is very funny. You must be a big fan of Butcher then if that is enough to impress you. Gotta shed blood for your country hey.

[pete]

That post is very funny. You must be a big fan of Butcher then if that is enough to impress you. Gotta shed blood for your country hey.

Post edited now.

[nedder]

By the way it's interesting that no-one is p*ssed off that Joe O'Cearuill is picked by Frecklington and Emannuel seem to raise hackles, presumably on the basis of their English sounding surnames.

Sounds French to me.......

[Den Perry]

I think Emmenuel's sister is in a few films i've seen.....

[tricky_colour]

I think Shane will be in the squad before Long :D

[Superhoops]

I think Shane will be in the squad before Long :D
Stephen must also be in the Hunt??? :D :D

[tricky_colour]

That's the kind of speculation Anthony Stokes :D :D :D

[eirebhoy]

Long set up the first and scored the 2nd tonight. Highlights:
http://www.zshare.net/download/reading-3-2-burnley-ssn-match-report-zip.html

[irishfan86]

Cheers Eirebhoy, good to see he's progressing well.

[republicofwhite]

He had a great game apparently, man of the match I think. That goal was unbelievable, I dont know how he finished it...

[ken foree]

thanks for the clip!

[feo123]

Very talented irish youngster....great to see him scoring today in the premiership! very hot prospect IMO, have been looking at him whenever he's got a chance at least since last season! definately one too look out for in the next couple of months/year!

[eirebhoy]

Wrong forum?

http://foot.ie/showthread.php?t=40993

[eirebhoy]

He scored again yesterday as everyone will know. Highlights are here:
http://rapidshare.com/files/12620680/Reading_3-1_Sheffield_United.zip (35MB)

[feo123]

ya possibly sorry......

[Irish_Praha]

He scored again yesterday as everyone will know. Highlights are here:
http://rapidshare.com/files/12620680/Reading_3-1_Sheffield_United.zip (35MB)

That file is a bit small - could you not upload a bigger one? :p

[eirebhoy]

It's all I could find. I assume you have broadband in this day and age. ;)