The perennial battle between club managers and international managers continues to rage on.
This time, it’s the turn of Southampton boss Ronald Koeman who was clearly shocked at the involvement that Shane Long had in Ireland’s play-off second leg at home to Bosnia.
Long was introduced to the game shortly after the second half kicked off and Koeman didn’t sound too happy with the fact that he played forty minutes after training just once since injuring his ankle against Poland last month.
“I was very surprised that he was playing forty minutes,” Koeman said.
“That’s OK if the player is fit but, of course, the player didn’t train for five or six weeks. He only had one training session on the Sunday and that was why I was surprised.”
Ahead of the November international break, Koeman had suggested that Long sit out the pair of Bosnia games so as to be fresh for the Saints’ next Premier League tie.
He said: “They [Long and Jay Rodriguez] are close but it is too fast for them to be part of the team and I hope the international break gives them the opportunity to recover their freshness and physically so as to be prepared for the next one [the Premier League game against Stoke City].”
Martin O’Neill does what he wants!
