The friendly was played in Belgium in June 2011, three days after Giovanni Trapattoni’s side defeated Macedonia away in Euro 2012 qualifying, as Long opened up on how the squad’s nights out at the time were key for team bonding.
“Before the friendly one of the lads had a golf day on the Sunday, and obviously we had a good time at the golf day, all night and got back in early hours and then thrown onto a bus and over to (Belgium),” said Long, speaking on the ‘Fozcast’ with Ben Foster.
“On the Tuesday night we played Italy, an unbelievable team, we were 1-0 up at half-time and the captain came out and said ‘right lads, let’s finish this stag do off!’. We went out and beat Italy 2-0, everyone hungover and everyone dying.
Keith Andrews, left, celebrates after scoring against Italy, with Ireland team-mates Stephen Ward, Shane Long and Andy Keogh
“But everyone was in it together and working hard. We had no right to beat Italy but just having that night out together and everyone doing it for each other, that’s the only reason we got a result that day.”
Long, who scored 17 times in 88 caps before his final Irish appearance in 2021, shared an insight into how important a role the team nights out played under Trapattoni.
“We’d have a (club) game on the Saturday, and wouldn’t be meeting up with the Ireland squad until probably Monday morning, and every time every Sunday the whole squad would be out in Dublin together. It was always good craic,” added the 37-year-old, who retired from the game last year.
“But everyone was in it together then once the training started. It just created that bond I suppose. After every game there would be a few pints down the bar, but it would never get too far after the first game. After the second game, we might get carried away!
“But that went a long way I think, just having a few drinks together, finding out about each other off the pitch, finding out about families and asking random questions, that banter you’d have.
“We never really went out (clubbing), we’d be in a pub somewhere with the lads. It would never get carried away where we would be splitting up into groups and going to nightclubs and stuff like that. We’d get back to the hotel at a decent enough hour and just go to the bar there where it was safe.”
Back in the present, a dark cloud currently hangs over the Irish senior side after Heimir Hallgrimsson’s reign kicked off with a pair of 2-0 defeats to England and Greece in the Nations League this month. Long stresses that Ireland must find a way to start winning games again.
“It’s in a bit of a transition stage,” he said, when asked about his thoughts on the current national side.
“I think we went from one certain way of playing… well, we weren’t really just a kick it long, head it and hope for the best type of team, but the hard work was always there. Then we went bang, and all of a sudden changed it to playing out from the back and trying to play the perfect football.
“There was no kind of grace period in between, we didn’t have that mixing it up and didn’t get good results because of it.
“Now it’s about trying to find that happy medium. The manager (Hallgrimsson) has come in. I have heard brilliant things about him but don’t know much about him personally. I played with a few Icelandic players and when he was manager of Iceland everyone loved him.
“It’s a tough group but Ireland just need to get back to winning games and getting to finals, because the fans just want a team to celebrate and get right behind. Hopefully the lads can turn it around.”
Following last week’s home defeat to England, with former Irish players Declan Rice and Jack Grealish on the scoresheet for Lee Carsley’s side at Lansdowne Road, Tipperary native Long also shared his thoughts on the pair’s decision to declare for England, after Rice won three Irish senior caps (in friendlies) and Grealish lined out for the Under-21s before they switched to the Three Lions.
“Dec was young at the time and was a really great kid. He sang the national anthem and was really proud to be Irish but, I think (Gareth) Southgate got on to him,” added Long.
“It was a tough decision for him to make and a shame because I could see him being a future Ireland captain, he had that personality.
“It was tough because Dec played three times for the senior team in friendlies, and Jack Grealish was two days away from being in the senior squad. I think that’s why it was so hard to take, and because they were really good players Ireland missed out on.
“It’s their decision, they are proud to be English and want to play for their country so I think any Irish fan can understand that.
“I think playing for Ireland is such a great honour and when you see players who are not sure if they want to do it, I think it’s hard for the Irish people to accept that.
“But then I put myself on the other side, my son is born in England and likes football and he may have that decision.
“I’m not saying he’ll be a professional footballer or anything, but if that decision comes his way I’ll make sure he decides ‘I’m English or I’m Irish’ and stick to that.”