After the huge attention placed on Jack Grealish and Declan Rice on their recent return to Dublin, Shane Long has spoken of his hope that his children will not face similar issues.
Rice and Grealish filled the role of pantomime villains for Ireland's recent home Nations League assignment against England - scoring both goals as the visitors ran out 2-0 winners at the Aviva Stadium.
With Grealish having played for Ireland up to U21 level, and Rice having won three senior caps for the Boys in Green, the reception would always be vociferous on Lansdowne Road. Rice in particular was booed relentlessly by the home crowd in Dublin.
Former Ireland striker Shane Long appeared on Ben Foster's podcast this week to discuss his playing career. Long lined out alongside Rice for the now-England international's first two caps for Ireland.
Having spent most of his playing career in England, Long's children will be eligible to play for the Three Lions should they follow in their father's footsteps and pursue a career in football. The Tipperary man is keen that his kids avoid handling the situation in a similar manner to Messrs Rice and Grealish.
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Shane Long discusses his kids' Ireland-England eligibility
31 May 2018; John O'Shea, left, Shane Long and Declan Rice, right, during a Republic of Ireland training session at the FAI National Training Centre in Abbotstown, Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Speaking on Fozcast (The Ben Foster Podcast) this week, Shane Long was asked for his thoughts on Declan Rice's return to the Aviva Stadium and the animosity shown to him by the Ireland fans.
Long said that he empathised with the Ireland fans who had shown their frustration. Nonetheless, he went on to reflect honestly on the dilemma his children will face should they become footballers, saying that he would not stand in their way should they declare for England or for Ireland.
The ex-Ireland striker's main hope was that they would not make the same mistake of going back and forth as was made by Rice and, to a lesser extent, Jack Grealish.
It is tough. Playing for your country in Ireland is such a great honour, when you see players 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 was born in England, he likes football, he might have that decision. I'm not saying he will be a professional footballer or anything but, if that decision comes his way, I'd just say, look, you're English or Irish and just stick with that.
I wouldn't put pressure on that. Obviously, he's born in England, all his friends are English. I obviously still instil into him to be proud of the Irish connection he has. I can't see myself following England down the line or anything like that!
But I'd make sure that he wouldn't jump from England to Ireland or back to England or anything like that.
Long spent 18 years of his playing career in England, with spells at Reading, West Brom, Hull, Southampton and Bournemouth.
The 37-year-old's three children have seen plenty of the UK in their childhood, so - but Long says that the challenge of up and moving your entire life is an issue for footballers that has wider-ranging consequences than one may initially think of.
Obviously I'm Irish, so I was quite happy going anywhere to be honest.
But I remember for my wife at the time moving the kids and all that was tough. When I moved to Birmingham, it was still an hour and 45 minutes away from her mum's house. It's still doable but you don't have that babysitter around the corner.
When we moved to Hull, that was a real shock to the system. There was no security blanket there for her.
I was happy, I had the dressing room, the football, friends in the area - she knew nobody. She made friends but we didn't have people that we could meet up [with] randomly...a bit outcast there.
When the move to Southampton came, for my career it was good but for my family...
We may yet see Shane Long's son lining out at international level - whether that would be in an Ireland shirt or an England shirt remains unclear.
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