Martin O’Neill: ‘Please heavens, Shane Long stays fit’

Martin O’Neill has hailed Shane Long’s emergence as a first-choice striker for club and country as an especially timely boost with the European Championship finals now so close.

And, after he’d unveiled his squad for the friendly against the Netherlands yesterday, the Ireland manager went into some detail about what he regards as the crucial improvements he had long wanted to see in the performances of the 29-year-old who, this season with Southampton, has seen his strike rate hit double figures for the first time in the Premier League.

“One of the most important things for a centre-forward is to get hold of the ball, that’s what I was taught,” O’Neill began.