Trap brands Long behaviour 'idiotic'

Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni has said striker Shane Long’s behaviour before last night's 0-0 friendly with Serbia was “idiotic” after the forward claimed he was fully fit.

The Tipperary man had initially been named in Trap’s starting line-up for the game in Belgrade, but Simon Cox was drafted in as a late replacement after Long was said to have strained his calf in training.

Long is now due to play in West Brom's Premier League opener against Liverpool at The Hawthorns on Saturday.

At the end of last night's game however, the former Cork City striker said he was fit to be involved in Belgrade, comments that annoyed Trap, leading to his angry reaction at today's press conference. 

In an interview broadcasted on national radio, Trapattoni said Long had complained of the injury after training but “after this, he said, ‘I have pain’. The doctor worried, they made a scan (in hospital).

“And now he says he is fit, which is idiotic. He is no baby.”

Trapattoni said Long had featured in his preferred line-up during the training match and that he had every intention of playing him if he was available.

The manager concluded: “For me, it is impossible to understand this. He could say, ’I am ready’, before the game.”