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

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?

[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

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