Shane Long

**geysir** · 04/01/2011, 3:34 PM

Livehead, you are almost as paranoid as Youngirish, about what other posters are thinking.
Read the previous posts a bit more carefully.
Btw, 'step into the breach' does not mean emulate, or be as good as.

**ken foree** · 04/01/2011, 3:43 PM

Originally Posted by livehead1

It could be a generation or two before we see anyone of Robbie Keane's ability pulling on the green shirt

surely long can dress himself well enough. or do you mean when robbie complains to the ref as he clutches his own jersey?

**theworm2345** · 04/01/2011, 5:09 PM

I'll put my hand up and admit I didn't think Long would even make it in the Championship, much the less the EPL but his performances recently in the green shirt and at club level have me hoping that I may have been misguided. I don't think he'll ever be able to produce the amount of goals Robbie did in the EPL or for Ireland, but when Robbie is done perhaps he could "théam sa bhearna baoil," if you will, as geysir pointed out.

**Serb** · 04/01/2011, 6:23 PM

To qualify what I said earlier, he's nowhere near as good as Robbie Keane, and he never will be. However, he's definitely the closest we have to a like-for-like replacement for him once Keane retires. He has the energy and the passion that has been a part of Robbie's game since he was 18, he has an eye for goal, and he takes a decent penalty.

That's not to say he'll come close to 50 goals in the green — no chance — but I'd say he has the ability to put away 15 - 20 (he has 5 already and he hasn't played many games). I think his chances will be quite limited for the next 3 or 4 years though, as I would expect Keane to keep plugging away until 33 at least. Unless Stokes or Rooney can play themselves into contention, it's highly likely Long will be the man pulling on the number 10 jersey in a few years time.

**TrapAPony** · 08/01/2011, 4:34 PM

Scored for Reading in a 1-0 victory over WBA. Noel Hunt started up front with him. Ian Harte started at left back too.

**tetsujin1979** · 15/01/2011, 3:34 PM

4th goal in 3 games VS Doncaster

**paul_oshea** · 15/01/2011, 3:50 PM

is that 13 for the season? or 13 league goals?

**tetsujin1979** · 15/01/2011, 4:36 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

is that 13 for the season? or 13 league goals?

12, 11 in the league, 1 in the FA Cup

**Sullivinho** · 15/01/2011, 4:43 PM

Long may this vein of form continue, could be the making of him.

**paul_oshea** · 15/01/2011, 6:42 PM

i was sure it said 12th goal after he scored in the fa cup. Thats not saying i think im right though.

**elroy** · 15/01/2011, 9:06 PM

Eight goals in his last seven games. Impressive stuff and according to sky earlier he is starting to attract attention from PL clubs. Tonights goal was meant to be particularly well taken. 14 goals for the season, including club and country.

http://www.soccerbase.com/players_de...playerid=41355

**Noelys Guitar** · 16/01/2011, 3:12 AM

Originally Posted by Serb

To qualify what I said earlier, he's nowhere near as good as Robbie Keane, and he never will be. However, he's definitely the closest we have to a like-for-like replacement for him once Keane retires. He has the energy and the passion that has been a part of Robbie's game since he was 18, he has an eye for goal, and he takes a decent penalty.

That's not to say he'll come close to 50 goals in the green — no chance — but I'd say he has the ability to put away 15 - 20 (he has 5 already and he hasn't played many games). I think his chances will be quite limited for the next 3 or 4 years though, as I would expect Keane to keep plugging away until 33 at least. Unless Stokes or Rooney can play themselves into contention, it's highly likely Long will be the man pulling on the number 10 jersey in a few years time.

What does plugging away mean? Long is a better goal scorer than Keane at this moment in time. Thats all that counts. We already have enough "plugging away types".

**CraftyToePoke** · 17/01/2011, 1:13 AM

Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar

What does plugging away mean? Long is a better goal scorer than Keane at this moment in time. Thats all that counts. We already have enough "plugging away types".

Keane said on Pat Kenny over Christmas he wants to beat the English record, I think thats Linekers, not sure. After he has done that we will see how long he sticks around if there is a new manager looking at a rebuild, which there may be, or if we were to qualify and he reached his goal during the tournament. 5 more plugs I make that then, could be wrong.

If Long sustains this he will be tough to ignore, took the goal at the weekend like there was no keeper to deal with.

**paul_oshea** · 17/01/2011, 11:06 AM

Its bobby charltons. Its a realistic record to beat but its another way of keane saying he wants to get to 50.im sure if he gets to 50 he will want to break another record

**dr_peepee** · 17/01/2011, 11:22 AM

I can't see Keane retiring from International Football as long as he's still playing Professionally....

**Serb** · 17/01/2011, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar

What does plugging away mean? Long is a better goal scorer than Keane at this moment in time. Thats all that counts. We already have enough "plugging away types".

I didn't mean "plugging away" in some kind of derogatory sense. Plugging away just meant playing football. To be fair to Keane, Long is in a better goal scorer than Keane right now because it's hard to score goals while you're sitting on the bench. Assuming Keane seals a move during this transfer window, he'll be back to scoring goals regularly at a higher level than Long.

As regards his international career, Dr. PeePee makes a good point:

Originally Posted by dr_peepee

I can't see Keane retiring from International Football as long as he's still playing Professionally....

I'd actually go one further and say, I can't see Keane not being picked as a regular starter in international football as long as he's playing professionally. I think it's a silly suggestion to say that his place in the Ireland team is seriously under threat. We have no player like him, even when he's not playing regular club football, and I wouldn't bet on seeing another striker as good as him in the green in my lifetime.

**Kingdom** · 17/01/2011, 12:48 PM

Robbie Keane is as good as we've ever had. But he's looked rusty for us the last couple of appearances, most notably in Slovakia. It could have just been an offday, but the problem is once he's not playing regular club football it's not possible to say whether it was an off day or as a result of rustiness.

**Junior** · 17/01/2011, 1:57 PM

Originally Posted by Serb

As regards his international career, Dr. PeePee makes a good point:

I'd actually go one further and say, I can't see Keane not being picked as a regular starter in international football as long as he's playing professionally. I think it's a silly suggestion to say that his place in the Ireland team is seriously under threat. We have no player like him, even when he's not playing regular club football, and I wouldn't bet on seeing another striker as good as him in the green in my lifetime.

It will be strange alright. The day will come though and it will be akin to Raul being dropped from Real or the National team.....a strange feeling that something doesnt quite seem right.

**dr_peepee** · 17/01/2011, 2:32 PM

Jayzus, Darren Bent handed in a Transfer Request at Sunderland!! 18m Bid from Villa too apparently..... We could see Robbie up in Sunderland afterall!!!

**Serb** · 17/01/2011, 4:04 PM

Originally Posted by Junior

It will be strange alright. The day will come though and it will be akin to Raul being dropped from Real or the National team.....a strange feeling that something doesnt quite seem right.

In relation to the national team, I think Raul being dropped is very different. Look at the caliber of strikers that have come through behind Raul: David Villa (who has already equaled Raul's goal scoring record for Spain) and Fernando Torres (whose international scoring record is relatively quite poor, "only" 26 goals in 82 games, but is still one of the top strikers in Europe). Spain have the pool of players that they can afford to drop players like Raul. We don't.