Trap insists there’s no rift with Long

The player they call Longy could be at risk of becoming known as Skippy, after Giovanni Trapattoni yesterday described Shane Long “springing for the ball like a kangaroo”.

The Ireland manager was at the DW Stadium to see West Brom beat Wigan 1-2 on Saturday, with Long — who has recently been nursing a hamstring-related problem — seeing 78 minutes of action before heading to Dublin to join up with the Irish squad ahead of Wednesday’s friendly against Greece.

Trapattoni’s reluctance to commit to Long as a first-choice striker has prompted a number of critics to conclude the manager must have an underlying issue with the player, most likely relating to the dispute around the Serbia friendly back in August when Long complained of an injury worry in training but then, having been left out of the game, angrily informed reporters in the stadium afterwards that he’d been fit to play.

Trapattoni subsequently branded Long’s behaviour “idiotic” and, when reminded of that comment yesterday, said he’d spoken to the player in the dressing room after the Serbian match, smiled and said he’d been strutting “like a cock”.

But, whatever their differences, the manager yesterday also described Long as “a very genuine person” adding “I have never punished anyone”.

However, it was also clear that Trapattoni still doesn’t feel the Tipperary man is the finished article as a striker.

“I give him little bits of advice to improve,” he said.

“He is still young and he can improve and have 20% more quality. He can stay upfront as he is fast and can score a goal but if the team don’t support him it’s difficult to score. When our team looks for him he can come back and get the ball, not only wait for the ball. When we are in difficulty, and the midfield is under pressure, they need to pass the ball, not always shoot the long ball. But he can mature into the role very easily.”

Meanwhile, Aiden McGeady (foot) and Keith Fahey (flu) have withdrawn from the squad to be replaced by Andy Keogh and Conor Clifford.