Ireland holds its breath as Ronald Koeman provides Shane Long injury update

Any bloody excuse...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceG7EUOjDGg Ireland's goal-scoring hero of that night at the Aviva is still a doubt ahead of the country's crucial play-off games with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Martin O'Neill is already preparing for a first leg away from home without Jon Walters and Shane Long could yet be missing as he fails to make the Southampton squad a week out from the Bosnia trip. The Saints travel to Sunderland on Saturday but the Tipperary man will play no part in the clash despite rejoining training after an ankle injury sustained in the Poland game in the last outing with Ireland. "Shane was close to being back and did some training yesterday [Wednesday] with the team," Koeman said. "But he's still not 100 per cent. He needs to be 100 per cent to be part of the squad." https://twitter.com/SouthamptonFC/status/662269002161475584 Let's hope one more week is enough.