Has anyone who's seen Long play actually been impressed by him?

[liaml]

Yip - he's a right donkey.

[cheifo]

Very Harsh, hes not ready for Int football yet but he will be quality.

[Soko]

Miracle he's not laying blocks or a chippie. Complete rubbish

[CollegeTillIDie]

Soko

If you're serious, about Long, then the Premiershi* must be total sh1t. Cause Kevin Doyle's scored 10 times in it !

[B1977]

I ve seen Shane Long play in flesh and a couple of times on tv.I rate him as a raw talent.He is still young and can improve.He is a very fast player,plenty of pace and good in the air.You have got to remember he has never got a serious run of games to play.Just remember Henry for Arsenal,nobody rated him when he was a young player:ball:

In 2 years time Shane Long will be the most talked about Irish forward around.

[eirebhoy]

and I sort of feel that anybody in his position could finish what he's required to do.
You make it sound so easy. :)

[Soper]

Call yourself football fans, turning on a young fella like Long all of a sudden? At least he put some effort in when he played, and turns up on time for his teams bus.

[Soko]

To be honest, they are all talentless. Roy Keane had no talent and was just a grafter. It is pretty easy to be honest. I'm sure I would have made it but I'm lazy and too fond of th smokes and pints. It really is just a mugs game and Long is fooling them all. Well done kid

[adamcarr]

FFS lads give him time, he's only started playing the game when he was 16 or so. Then he had no time to adapt and was thrown into the deep end at Reading and Staunton has done the same now!

[carloz]

I have said this before that too much is expected of the guy. He has played little more than a hand full of Premiership games for Reading, patience is needed with him. The guy needs to progress a little and really shouldnt have been selected for an Irish squad just yet. Its was a little early for him called up, but staunton felt he was ready for international, most Irish fans could see he wasnt. You could see for the guys face even at the national anthems, he seemed to be shaking in his boots. I have high hopes for him but recognise he is a kid and not our saviour just yet

[zinedineontour]

This isn't a summer camp, if he needs time to settle then he's not ready and shouldn't be picked. Simple as that.

I dont know what long has done to you but from what ive seen he looks a good player and will only improve.

[GavinZac]

oh hooray, we have sunderland fans now.

[Dodge]

Seen a fair bit of him. Hugely impressed by him.

[SÓC]

At both Reading and Cork City he was always thought of as a player who will go on to be better than the likes of Doyle and O'Flynn given time to develop. Think he's done well given the limited opportunites. He's had to progress quickly from being a sub for the Cork City u21s to playing in the Premiership.

Cant understand how people can be critical of him given that with Reading he's played upfront on his own a fair bit and for Ireland he had to play along side a striker who didnt even try

[shakermaker1982]

feckin shameful that he's already getting this much stick and for what? He is a young lad still learning, kids like that need support from the fans.

[Jaime]

You have to be in the right place at the right time to finish off all these scrappy goals. If anyone could do it, why isn't everyone doing it? Why are all of us not out scoring goals in the Premiership? :confused:

[bmozza]

To be honest, they are all talentless. Roy Keane had no talent and was just a grafter. It is pretty easy to be honest. I'm sure I would have made it but I'm lazy and too fond of th smokes and pints. It really is just a mugs game and Long is fooling them all. Well done kid


:eek: It's difficult to read whether or not you're joking....please tell me that you are?!

[zenokelly]

He's not yet developed enough or good enough to be a full international. Stan should know better than to nselect him. I think that's the point this thread is trying to make.

[Dodge]

I disagree. He's better than the majority of Ireland's other strikers and should be in the squad

[carloz]

I dont see why he should be in the squad now. What are you basing that on. he is now struggling to get near the Reading squad, more often than not is in their reserves. He is 4th choice forward(5th if you want to include Ki-Hyeon Seol). He does not deserve to be in the squad at this stage whatsoever. I really hope he makes it but at this stage to select him over Connolly is laughable

[The Legend]

To be honest, they are all talentless. Roy Keane had no talent and was just a grafter. It is pretty easy to be honest. I'm sure I would have made it but I'm lazy and too fond of th smokes and pints. It really is just a mugs game and Long is fooling them all. Well done kid

Im sure i could have been a world famous violinist too if thats all i did all day... i dont agree Keane was just a grafter!

[drinkfeckarse]

I've seen him for both Ireland and Reading and from what I've seen he's a completly skill less player.

The best I can say about him (and anybody from my experience) is that he gives it a lot of effort and is able to disrupt defences.
But the only goals he gets are just finishing other players skills, he's not creative whatsoever and I sort of feel that anybody in his position could finish what he's required to do.


That's all Gary Lineker ever did too. That's all Kris Boyd for Rangers does. If he turns out to be anything like either of those I'll be more than happy.

[Pablo]

i've seen him play more than all of ye and trust me he's pure quality.

[drinkfeckarse]

I'm fairly sure Soko is being sarcastic....

[Risteard]

I've seen him play a few times and think he's decent.
Very lucky to be at Reading.

[DmanDmythDledge]

Looks like a good player for the future but he shouldn't be in the senior squad yet.

[tetsujin1979]

Better in the senior squad than playing for the U-21's

[Tipperary_Man]

i think Shane silenced some of his critics last night, fair unlucky not to have scored. maybe fans should start getting behind the players now and forget about the moaning and negativity!!

[Nailer77]

Did very well when he came on last night and has shown real ability at Reading aswell. He got unwarranted stick after San Marino when really it was the senior players that should have shouldered most of the blame in that game. Looks well capable but should have scored at least one goal last night.

[bigmac]

But the only goals he gets are just finishing other players skills, he's not creative whatsoever and I sort of feel that anybody in his position could finish what he's required to do.

Fillippe Inzaghi? Van Nistelrooy? Andy Cole?

[micls]

Long will be a better player than Doyle.

For a lad who only started playing 4 years ago his progress is amazing.

[Real ale Madrid]

What an unbelievable thread! Lets discuss the merits of Shane Long against David Connolly. Shane long 19 years of age - pace, power, great finisher - young player - plays in his second competitive game for ireland causes problems for the opposing defence unlucky not to score but for a goalline clearance,

then again we have David Connolly - 41 caps for Ireland - has scored 5 competitive goals for Ireland against the mighty Liectenstein (3) Iceland and Cyprus. Has had more than enough chances for Ireland and should really retire from international football so to avoid this pointless debate.

No one was talking about Connolly for the Irish team until Roy Keane decided he'd try and get Connolly and Miller into the spotlight. Probably because if Keane gets Sunderland into the premiership he will have to sell Connolly and Miller beacuse he suspects that they are just not good enough for the premiership. They are both championship players and linking thier names to the international set-up might help Keano get a few more bob for them both.

[KopKiller]

Christ he is only 19, and playing, albeit occasionally, in the premiership. Give him a few seasons before judging him. I watched him play liverpool in the carling cup this season, and he was a handfull, even though that donkey Gabriel Paletta was marking him, he was making good runs and causing problems. He is exceptionally quick, probably the quickest player in our squad actually and he has a great leap on him for headers. I dont know, I think he might develop into a decent striker but im not going to call him a donkey just yet...

[paul_oshea]

fair unlucky

isnt that paradox? certainly a contradiction, even if it is midlands/mid-south slang! ;)

that ball on his head was too high and hard.

[fergalr]

Has anyone who's seen Long play actually been impressed by him?
After last night - Yes!

[eirebhoy]

Yeah, I was impressed with him last night. Should have scored that free header though.

[Risteard]

I think Stokes is more deserving of a chance at the moment.

I don't think Shane Long looks anything more than a decent Championship player, definitely not in Doyles class but he's only 20 so has plenty of time.
Definitely has the right attitude anyway.

[NeilMcD]

I think the difference between Long and Stokes is like the difference between Keane and Doyle. Long is better as the front man harrassing the centre half and looking for the ball over the top and good in the air just like Doyle. Keane and Stokes are players who like the ball to feet and do their work from there. Long should be Doyles back up and Stokes could be Keanes back up for the moment.

[Nailer77]

I think Stokes is more deserving of a chance at the moment.

I don't think Shane Long looks anything more than a decent Championship player, definitely not in Doyles class but he's only 20 so has plenty of time.
Definitely has the right attitude anyway.


Well attitudes a massive part of it and he looks like he's got a fair bit of talent as well so I can see him progressing nicely.

[KopKiller]

I think Stokes is more deserving of a chance at the moment.


Stokes could be next best thing, if he is as good as people are hyping him up to be but the truth is he has done nothing yet, im sorry i dont count scoring lots of goals in the SPL as an achievement that should push him into the national team, Richie Foran was banging them in up there for christ sake!

I have only seen him play once, and he was playing wide right and didnt look comfortable there to be honest so perhaps if Sunderland get promoted David Connolly will be sold to another championship club, because thats his level, and stokes will get a run as a striker in the premiership ... then we can all see if he is good enough for ireland.

I will get to see him in the flesh on easter monday (if keano picks him!) when sunderland go to southampton so ill report back then of where he played and how he looked.

[theworm2345]

I have only seen him play once, and he was playing wide right and didnt look comfortable there to be honest so perhaps if Sunderland get promoted David Connolly will be sold to another championship club, because thats his level, and stokes will get a run as a striker in the premiership ... then we can all see if he is good enough for ireland.
I will bet you hundreds of $$$ Connolly will not be sold if they are promoted, he has been first choice all season and has the fans and Keane's full backing, unless Keane goes, Connolly is not going anywhere

No one was talking about Connolly for the Irish team until Roy Keane decided he'd try and get Connolly and Miller into the spotlight. Probably because if Keane gets Sunderland into the premiership he will have to sell Connolly and Miller beacuse he suspects that they are just not good enough for the premiership.
I was (seach my posts, I bet about half of them include Connolly :))
You also forget that many of his appearances were as a sub late (especially earlier on in his career). If that one shot against Spain was a foot in the other direction, he likely would have been called up (I wasn't talking about his penalty).

[Stuttgart88]

Anyone see Stokes' shooting during the half time interval? Something else.

[tetsujin1979]

Missed that, but I heard he hit the back of the net every time

[tin tin]

Stokes going to be world class, so will long in time. They both are talented and have a good attitude to the game

[Nailer77]

Anyone see Stokes' shooting during the half time interval? Something else.

Yeh it was impressive alright. I was down the far end though and trying to work out who it was for a bit.

[kev mcq]

Christ he is only 19,...

He's 20. DOB 22/01/1987

[Torn-Ado]

Im still on the fence about Long. I had high hopes when he scored Three in three for Reading and when he got called up ´for San marino.

But against San marino he was atrocious and he's slipped back in the pecking order for Reading. He was lively for us on wed night but should have scored two goals. I don't think he is the future and will be a championship or league two player in a few seasons.

Hopefully he will prove me wrong.

[Nailer77]

Im still on the fence about Long. I had high hopes when he scored Three in three for Reading and when he got called up ´for San marino.

But against San marino he was atrocious and he's slipped back in the pecking order for Reading. He was lively for us on wed night but should have scored two goals. I don't think he is the future and will be a championship or league two player in a few seasons.

Hopefully he will prove me wrong.

I thought he looked fairly impressive on Wednesday, but we'll see I suppose. The only thing is I remember Duff playing for us in his early 20's and he was often dreadful, he only really started to show his potential in the later qualifiers in 2001 notably the Cyprus, Portugal and Holland games. Hopefully Long and McGeady will go the same way as Duff and not McPhail.

[carloz]

I have only seen him play once, and he was playing wide right and didnt look comfortable there to be honest so perhaps if Sunderland get promoted David Connolly will be sold to another championship club, because thats his level, and stokes will get a run as a striker in the premiership ... then we can all see if he is good enough for ireland.

I dont know what you are basing Connolly bring a Championship level striker on. He never got a chance with West Ham in the Premiership, and Wigan splasked out good money for him but unfortunatly he suffered some bad injuries. He has never had a proper chance at Premiership level

[eirebhoy]

Stokes could be next best thing, if he is as good as people are hyping him up to be but the truth is he has done nothing yet, im sorry i dont count scoring lots of goals in the SPL as an achievement that should push him into the national team, Richie Foran was banging them in up there for christ sake!
Foran scored 7 goals in the SPL this season, and 4 of them were penos...

I think Stokes is guaranteed a big future. You can tell with some players. Some of them play entirely on confidence but Stokes is different. He's an arrogant that I can't see being affected by confidence. He's also incredibly intelligient on the football pitch.