Shane plotting a Long French stay
SO MUCH for the comedown, Shane Long has started a countdown. The Republic of Ireland striker now has his side’s potential route to the Stade de France for the Euro 2016 final all mapped out after the dramatic 1-0 win over Italy in Lille. Beat France tomorrow. Then England or Iceland. After that it’s the semis and a date with possibly Germany or Spain.
Ireland are dreaming of unimaginable glory on July 10 in Paris, a prospect beyond the wildest dreams of many but something the 29-year-old believes is up for grabs.
Long’s mentality has changed because of the way in which Martin O’Neill’s side confirmed their place in the last 16 at the Stade PierreMauroy. That is the reason he has begun to plot such a sensation in public.
‘Yeah, I am. You’ve got to back yourself,’ he said. ‘It’s probably the hardest route you can get, but you are looking at that. That France game is everything. It doesn’t matter what happens afterwards. I’m sure we can cause an upset but there’s a lot of hard work needed.
‘Against Belgium we went out with good intentions, everyone was on the same page, but it just didn’t happen, it didn’t click. They (France) are the same sort of team. They have players that can punish you so hopefully we can learn from that.’
The Italy victory felt different for Long, a watershed moment for a manager and team who now truly believe they can compete at the level of the elite in this sort of environment.
Much of his own performance — the work, the hits, the selfless runs — was so typical of what supporters have come to expect from the Southampton striker over the course of his 66 caps, but Long got a buzz like never before when the final whistle blew.
‘I don’t mind getting kicked around the place and I give back my fair share,’ he explained. ‘Luckily I haven’t had an injury from any of the kicks. It’s just been bangs and I can take that. I’m the youngest of four kids so I’ve spent my whole life getting battered around. I’m well used to it.’
But not, he admitted, to being part of an Ireland side capable of using their heads to dictate a game of such importance and with so much riding on the outcome. That is why he has no qualms about discussing possible routes to the final and why he is relishing the challenge of dumping France out in front of their own supporters tomorrow.
‘This time I feel confident that we can go out and beat any team, with the way we’ve played. We’re not just nicking games, we are actually playing the games and creating chances and earning them.
‘It was weird. It was one of the hardest 90 minutes I’ve ever had to play the other night but it was also the most enjoyable 90 minutes I’ve had. We got on the ball and we played. To beat Italy is no mean feat, but to control the game like we did was amazing.’
A goal at a major tournament would make the experience feel all the more worthwhile for most strikers and while Long has yet to hit the target he is not letting that cloud his judgment or alter his approach.
‘I haven’t got much of a chance. But I feel I’ve contributed in other ways, holding the ball up well and working hard for the team trying to create things for other players. But it doesn’t matter who scores, if we win 1-0 and Darren Randolph scores, I don’t care,’ he said.
‘I feel confident before the game that I’ll get one or two chances and it’s up to me to make them count. First of all, I focus on what I can control, when the ball comes to me, holding that up. Making them runs, getting back into the shape. Getting into positions in the first place for getting crosses.
‘But it doesn’t come to you, sometimes it doesn’t come in to you, you make a run to the near post and it goes to the back post. Sometimes it just happens like that. So I just keep focusing on that and if I get a chance, hit the target.’
The core of a new Ireland team emerged against Italy with Jeff Hendrick, Robbie Brady, James McCarthy, Shane Duffy, Seamus Coleman and goalkeeper Darren Randolph providing a youthful look to a solid spine.
‘A lot of people are stepping up,’ Long feels. ‘Jeff has been brilliant, he is getting a lot of strikes and is going to be watched a bit more and Daryl [Murphy] was a handful, Robbie [Brady] got the goal and Wes [Hoolahan] as well. They can’t just focus on one player so hopefully that will work for us.
‘France are a very good side and they are not going to give us anything easy. They’ve got 11 matchwinners in their team and a bench full of match-winners as well. You sleep for one minute and they’ll punish you.’
A freedom comes with reaching this stage of the competition but Long insists they are out to cause further damage and not just turn up to suffer a hiding at the hands of the host nation.
‘It’s a great opportunity, you know, for us to really make a mark in this championship. If we went out in the group stages, I think people would have been disappointed, especially not to win against Sweden.
‘That would have cost us but to go out there and win against Italy like we did, to deserve to win the game, to play good football and deservingly so. You know, we know we can play like that so why not do that against France and cause an upset?’
‘Probably the hardest route but you have to back yourself’ ‘To control the Italy game like we did was amazing’