Clarke: Long tweet acceptable

Shane Long has been defended by his West Bromwich Albion manager Steve Clarke after an apparent show of anger from the player at his omission from Ireland’s games against Germany and Kazakhstan.

Before Tuesday night’s game against Kazakhstan at the Aviva Stadium, the striker tweeted: “Cowboy. Nuff said.” which was widely interpreted to be a dig at Ireland’s interim manager Noel King. But, yesterday, Clarke said he could understand the player’s disappointment at not being selected.

“You go away for 10 days and you expect to play for your country and [when] you don’t get selected it is disappointing,” he said. “I wouldn’t think there would be too many bad words in the tweet if he was disappointed not to be selected. I think that was acceptable.”

However, Clarke also accepted King’s right to pick whatever team he wanted.

“I am not going to tell another manager who he is going to pick or how to run his squad,” said the Baggies boss. “The players go away and are selected for international duty and then the manager in charge of the country will decide whether they play or not.”

Although Long is no nearer agreeing a new contract with Albion, Clarke insists he still has a big role to play at The Hawthorns.

“Shane has had a disrupted start to the season,” he said. “Obviously, we had the episode at the end of the transfer window [when a proposed move to Hull broke down]. Then he immediately went away on international duty and picked up an injury. He has been a little stop-start since that period.

“Shane now needs a run of training sessions under his belt, get himself in a good place and hopefully get some starts in the team. I said in August that he has a big part to play in the team. I stand by that.”

Meanwhile, Everton manager Roberto Martinez dismissed any suggestion that Darron Gibson had been pushed too hard while on Irish duty before he was injured against Kazakhstan.

Martinez believes bad luck rather than fatigue was responsible for the cruciate knee ligament injury which could rule Gibson out of action for up to nine months.

“Obviously this happened in the first half an hour of the game,” said Martinez, “and he looked really, really free in his movement. The partnership that he showed with James McCarthy during the game was really exciting for everyone and his knee reacted really well.

“When you watch the action it is so unfortunate that the knee couldn’t react in any other way. So, clearly, it is one of those unexpected moments or incidents in football that you can’t do anything about.

“I feared the worst when I saw the incident. I thought that it would be a very difficult injury to overcome. But with the scan we are very, very positive. He has anterior cruciate ligament damage but the whole structure of the knee is perfectly fine. It will be a straightforward operation and from that point of view we are looking forward to seeing Darron back hopefully this season.”

Meanwhile, Andy Reid has been tipped to keep his place in the Ireland team after his return from the international wilderness.

John Thompson, a former Ireland international and former team-mate of Reid’s at Nottingham Forest, said: “I knew as soon as [Giovanni] Trapattoni went that Reidy would be back in the Ireland squad. I think he’s there to stay now and he will be determined to make up for those last years.”

The recently retired Thompson, who made his international debut alongside Reid against Canada in 2003, added: “I know it’s hurt him not playing for his country for so long because he’s a proud Irishman, so it was great to see him back out there. There was a lot of pressure on him because everyone was looking to see how he’d do, and he went out and did exactly what he’s been doing for Forest this season — he was brilliant. And he deserves to keep his place.”

In other Irish news, Wolves manager Kenny Jackett dismissed speculation of a loan move for Kevin Doyle to Burnley and expressed delight at the striker’s return to international action.

“I am pleased for him that he has got back in after he had been left out for a number of games,” said Jackett. “After getting two more caps I am hoping that he will stay in the squad now. I know how much he wants to play for his country and how much he wants to do well for his country. Hopefully, after getting a good win in the second game, it will open up for him.”

Jackett also confirmed Keith Fahey has emerged as a possible target for Wolves.

International midfielder Fahey, 30, is on the lookout for a new club after leaving Birmingham City at the end of last season. He has been training with Sheffield United after recovering from summer hip surgery and is looking to get his career up and running again.