x

Ronald Koeman Not Happy With Martin O'Neill

Irish eyes might have been smiling on Tuesday night as they qualified for the European Championships in France, but Dutch ones in Southampton certainly weren't as Ronald Koeman expressed his "surprise" that Shane Long was played for so long.

Shane Long was allowed by Saints to join up with the Irish squad ahead of their 2nd leg play off game against Bosnia & Herzegovina, but clearly Ronald Koeman feels that Martin O'Neill abused Saints generosity.

Given that the player had not played for five weeks and that he had not been fit enough to join the squad for the away leg the previous Friday, it was clear that Koeman expected Long to only be used in an emergency and then sparingly.

With the Irish 1-0 up early in the 2nd half, yes the game was still in the balance, but it was in Ireland's favour and far from the last gasp situation that Saints clearly were willing to let Long be plunged into as Koeman himself has now commented.

Koeman said: "I was very surprised he played 40 minutes.

"The player didn't train for five or six weeks, had only one training session on the Sunday and that is why I was surprised.

"The doctor Steve Barnes had contact with the Irish medical staff and my information was that he wasn't 100 per cent fit.

"In my opinion a player needs more training before playing 40 minutes but I understand because it was an important game which meant he country qualified for Euro 2016.

"But if I'm a national coach I don't put a player after five or six weeks with injury and one training session into an important game."

Clearly the Saints manager feels his player was risked not only unnecessarily, but for far too long given his fitness levels and that could impact on how much he can be used for Saints against Stoke on Saturday.

What to read next:

Three and easy night – Report
QPR made it three from three against Luton Town this season as a controversial strike from Michi Frey and a fluke goal from Morgan Fox delivered all three points for the R’s on Monday night.
Queens Park Rangers 2 - 1 Luton Town - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.
Resolutions – Preview
Ahead of tonight’s visit from chronically out of form Luton (oh God), we look back on the New Year resolutions we came up with a year ago and update them for QPR’s class of 2025.
Will Luton stick with Edwards through rocky run? – Oppo Profile
Luton have lost three in a row, and have been beaten in their last nine consecutive away games conceding 25 goals in the process, so does Rob Edwards maintain the faith of a board directing much of its Premier League parachute towards a new stadium build – thoughts via @LutonTownExile.
Parker breaks duck in Luton rout - History
All the way back to 1990 for the History this week as Luton visit Loftus Road this Monday, a ground on which they once took such a mauling even Paul Parker scored for the R's.
Davies in charge of Luton visit - Referee
Championship regular Andy Davies is the referee in the middle of QPR’s Monday Night Football at home to Luton Town.
New Year’s Frey delight for resurgent Rangers – Report
QPR continued their recent Championship recovery and rediscovered the finishing touch which eluded them at Vicarage Road, beating Watford 3-1 at the second time of asking on New Year’s Day at Loftus Road.
Queens Park Rangers 3 - 1 Watford - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.
Happy New Year My R's - Preview
QPR end a dramatic, chaotic, emotional 2024 exhausted; they start 2025 at home to a Watford side they really should have beaten when these two met just a couple of weeks back.
Diakite's trail of comedic terror - History
Ahead of the New Year’s Day visit from Watford we look back across 120 different meetings between the two sides, and the madcap antics of Samba Diakite who played (sort of) for both clubs.