IRISH FOOTBALL SUPPORTERS face an anxious 24-hour wait to see if West Brom striker Shane Long has suffered a “serious” knee injury as suspected.
Speaking immediately after his side’s 2-1 win over Aston Villa, Baggies manager Roy Hodgson said the Tipperary native was lucky not to have two broken legs following “an appalling tackle” by Alan Hutton.
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“If ever I’ve seen a challenge that merited a red card, it was Hutton on Long,” he insisted. “It is a scan job but Long is lucky because he could have had two broken legs.”
“They (West Brom’s medical staff) don’t think it’s my medial (ligament) but it could be another ligament around the back of my knee,” he explained.
“I’ll know more after the scan on Monday, the first 24 hours are crucial so I’ll be doing all I can to keep it wrapped up and hope that that makes a difference. I don’t want to miss that Estonia game.”
With Kevin Doyle suspended for the first game in Tallinn and Robbie Keane still a doubt, Ireland boss Giovanni Trappatoni will be hoping for positive news over his latest injury concern.
Long not ruled out yet, scan on Monday
IRISH FOOTBALL SUPPORTERS face an anxious 24-hour wait to see if West Brom striker Shane Long has suffered a “serious” knee injury as suspected.
Speaking immediately after his side’s 2-1 win over Aston Villa, Baggies manager Roy Hodgson said the Tipperary native was lucky not to have two broken legs following “an appalling tackle” by Alan Hutton.
“If ever I’ve seen a challenge that merited a red card, it was Hutton on Long,” he insisted. “It is a scan job but Long is lucky because he could have had two broken legs.”
However, speaking to RTÉ’s Premier Soccer Saturday programme, the former Cork City player said it would be Monday at the earliest before West Brom’s medical team would have any definite prognosis.
“They (West Brom’s medical staff) don’t think it’s my medial (ligament) but it could be another ligament around the back of my knee,” he explained.
“I’ll know more after the scan on Monday, the first 24 hours are crucial so I’ll be doing all I can to keep it wrapped up and hope that that makes a difference. I don’t want to miss that Estonia game.”
With Kevin Doyle suspended for the first game in Tallinn and Robbie Keane still a doubt, Ireland boss Giovanni Trappatoni will be hoping for positive news over his latest injury concern.
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