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:
Saints V Stoke City A Look Back In Pictures 2In the second part of our pictorial look back at some of our games against Stoke City from the past, here we look back at more recent games, so most of you would have been at them.
Southampton V Stoke City The PreviewSaints go into the last two games of the season with their hopes of automatic promotion ended, even the hope of finishing 3rd is only a point away from being ended, but they do have something to play for and that is getting back the togetherness, character & fight Russell Martin has recently be moaned.
No Togetherness No Character No FightNot my words, but those of Southampton manager Russell Martin, who should ask himself the question why two months ago we had all those attributes and now we don't !
Southampton At Leicester The DebacleThe big question is how can a side that was so tight at the back, so clinical up front and who could pass the ball around almost with their eyes closed, become the disorganised rabble that they were at the Leicester City this evening.
Southampton At Leicester City The PreviewSaints travel up to Leicester knowing that it is almost certain that they will just be in the play offs come the end of the season, however there is still the feint hope of 3rd place to play for, however the Foxes are playing for a bigger prize.
A Rough Guide To Leicester City FCSaints head up to Leicester City this evening with their automatic promotion hopes just about over, so for the 3,000 fans who bought their tickets when there was hope here are the details.
Southampton At Cardiff City The VerdictThere can be no excuses for this defeat, a loss that effectively means that it will be a play off spot and not an automatic promotion place for Southampton, so where did it all go wrong.