WE’VE all seen Shane Long’s 2015 winner against Germany countless times – but somehow a totally fresh angle of it has surfaced.
At the time Germany were World Cup holders so it was a true giant killing in the classic sense of the term.
His rasping finish sent The Boys in Green on their way to a vital three points towards qualifying for Euro 2016 – the last major tournament Ireland reached.
So it tends to hold up nicely when rewatching over and over whether it be on an RTE pre-match montage or appearing on one’s social media feed.
That’s how this new angle came to public light thanks to the popular KM2 Archive account.
The man behind it said of the thumping strike: “Shane Long’s goal as you may never have seen it before.”
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The absolute verticality of it all makes for glorious viewing with one follower joking it resembled the perspective you’d see in vintage videogame Sensible Soccer.
It was definitely the most famous of Long’s 17 goals in the green jersey.
The 88-times capped flyer retired from club football in May 2023.
Earlier this month he made his punditry debut as part of RTE’s Champions League coverage.
There was a comfortingly familiar element about it though as he had ex-club and country strike partner Kevin Doyle sat next to him.
The pair were on duty to cover Liverpool’s comfortable 2-0 triumph over Bologna as The Reds settle in well to life under new boss Arne Slot.
The question of Long’s post-football life arose before kick-off though with presenter Peter Collins quizzing him on how he’s spent his time since retiring in May 2023.
The 37-year-old then detailed how he’s spent retirement so far…and how he’s currently mapping out the next phase of his life.
He said: “Retirement wasn’t forced on me through injury. I had a year back at Reading where it had all started.
“It didn’t really go to plan but I loved every minute of it. I got to 35 reasonably fit and healthy so it was time to call it a day.”
Regarding post-retirement life, he added: “Well I’d always promised myself a year out of football when I finished up.
“So I’ve been spending time with the kids. I’ve a few bucket list things so…going skiing and getting my handicap down in golf!
“But it’s been a year now and I suppose it is time to think about the future and see what my next step is.
“I know it won’t be in coaching or in football so I’m trying my hand at this media side of things and see how that goes!”
COACH LONG?
At that stage, Doyle then implored the FAI to snap Long up as a youth coach.
He recalled seeing Long taking to coaching kids like a duck to water at a youth camp over the summer.
Furthermore, the Wexford man noted that Long boasts a plethora of relevant experience to help guide up and coming Irish talents in their path to becoming professional footballers.
Doyle argued: “In the summer I was away with my kids at a camp and Shane was one of the coaches.
“And he was fabulous. He has a gift for coaching kids.
“For the FAI to have someone like him…who’s been there and done it…was in the Irish system…played GAA…all the things that Irish kids do.
“But then went on to the Premier League. What experience to be able to pass on to kids. He’d be fabulous at it.”