Shane Long has an affiliation with Southampton that made the spygate saga all the more painful to watch. Speaking to BOYLE Sports , the former Saints forward did not hold back on his view of what happened, what punishment was appropriate, and why he suspects there is far more to this story than has come out so far.
He also gave a typically direct verdict on James Ward-Prowse's situation at West Ham , calling the manager's decision to freeze him out one of the most baffling he has seen. His case for Ward-Prowse in the Championship was built around set pieces, professionalism, and the sheer absurdity of leaving a player of that quality out of the squad. The arrival of Scott Parker was flagged as potentially the perfect resolution.
Further down the Championship , Long gave his verdict on whether Luka Modric could hack the relentless schedule at Swansea , and what Charlie Savage's move from Reading to Cardiff means for both clubs.
Southampton
Spygate: Long's Verdict
Even before the verdict was announced, I thought surely they could not kick Southampton out. I thought it just opens up so many legal opportunities for different clubs, and it is so out there. I thought there would be a big fine and a slap on the wrist. For any supporters of Southampton and anyone associated with the club, it is a bit embarrassing because I do not think anyone had a bad word to say about Southampton before this.
It has always been a nice football club with fans who enjoy watching the game and no real trouble. To have this hanging over your head now for the next ten or twenty years as a club that cheats is disappointing. It is a shame for the players and fans involved, as it was nothing they did; it was the managerial role spying. I think we only know half the story for them to get kicked out of a playoff final. I think there is a lot more going on that we do not know about, so it will be interesting to see when it all unravels.
I felt for Hull leading into that game because one minute they are preparing for Southampton , next it is Middlesbrough , then it is all up in the air, and then all of a sudden, three days later, you are playing Middlesbrough . It was tough preparation for them, but playoff finals are always cagey affairs; not much happens, and one goal normally wins it. It was nice to see Hull get that last-minute goal to send them through, and John Egan is there as well, a former teammate of mine.
Should Eckert Ever Manage In England Again?
It is such a shame. Tonda Eckert won Manager of the Month for three consecutive months, and the team was playing unbelievable football. The players I know there really liked him as a manager as well. I do not see how much of a benefit spying would even provide. You might pick up on a few set pieces from watching training, but the rest would be visible in the game videos anyway.
The benefits are not worth risking it all. I think the only way the club can save face is by letting him go. I cannot see another English team bringing him in ever again because of the headlines it would attract. No fan base would be happy to see a cheat come in. To have something so petty ruin it all is disappointing. I do not know if this would violate the players' contracts because the club acted in bad faith, which was out of the players' hands.
If their contracts are violated, players like Finn Azaz and Leo Scienza , who have had unbelievable seasons, could leave on a free transfer, and many clubs would love to sign them. Sadly, I think Southampton is going to face a lot of legal battles just because of someone watching training with an iPhone. I remember playing against Taylor Harwood-Bellis at Burnley . I wanted to kill him because he goes around trying to get in your head and wind people up, but off the pitch, he is a lovely, down-to-earth guy. When I saw him do that on TV, I thought he was trying to get a reaction out of the players, but he went too far. He has had a good season, and he will get his head down and prove his dominance on the pitch again.
James Ward-Prowse
Ward-Prowse: A Wild Omission
He would be unbelievable for West Ham in the Championship , but it just depends on whether the manager stays or not. There is obviously something there with the manager and Prowsey . I cannot see him being a bad egg. You would have him in any squad, so there must be something personal going on or whatever has happened. But if the manager is there, Prowsey will not be. If it is a new manager, I think Prowsey is such a big addition to that squad.
Set pieces are massive in the Championship because there are big, solid defenders who do not need many goals, but when it comes to set pieces, if you can create a few goals, it is like Arsenal this year. Prowsey's delivery is a joke. He is the model pro; he is first in, last out, and always does extra bits. His diet is clean, and he is a good dad. It is hard to find a bad angle on him. When the manager came in and put him straight into the youth team and then sent him out on loan, God knows what was going on.
It is impacting West Ham as a club more than anything else. Scott Parker has been linked to the job, and he would have brought James in at Burnley when he was there, so he would know exactly what he is about. It is mad how things work out when he probably thought his best days were over. The reasoning behind it is confusing because I know Prowsey as a person and a player; to not have him in the dressing room is a wild decision.
Would Modric Cope With The Championship?
Luka Modric would be an incredible addition to the Championship . I would probably drive to Swansea to watch him play; he is a joke of a player. Swansea play good football, so if there is any club you would pick for him in the Championship , you would probably say there. What I would say is that when I was younger, playing on Saturdays and Tuesdays in the Championship , it was no problem.
When I was older, I was still knackered on the Tuesday night games, still trying to stretch out and get a bit of fitness back into my legs. I think he would struggle with that, but like I said, if you had to pick one team in the Championship that would suit Modric , it would be Swansea .
Charlie Savage To Cardiff
I never played with Charlie , but I have watched him a lot. He is an exciting player to watch; he carries the ball forward well and scores some unbelievable goals as well. He has been brilliant in midfield with Lewis Wing this year at Reading , and I am not surprised that teams are coming in to snap him up. It will be a big loss for Reading , but if you have players like that in your team and you do not get promoted, you have to expect that other teams are going to come along and snap them up.
Having said that, it is not easy going on to Cardiff , just getting promoted. It is going to be a tough season for them, but I am sure with his goals and assists, he will be valuable. He is one of these players who flies around the field and works hard. While he is not strong and dominant in that way, he is constantly involved and does a good job for the team as a whole.
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