Kevin Long 12 years question

[SydneyClaret]

Someone has to be a back up centre back. Gibson couldn’t hack it on the bench as he was desperate to play. His perogative. Long seems quite happy to be a bit part squad player and has always given his all when filling in. Maybe he could have had a great career in the championship. Or maybe he’s earned more money than he could possibly imagine at a stable club and not had to cart his family around the UK. Either way I respect his decision as it’s the best outcome for him and he’s obviously a good bloke to have around the club.

[Woodleyclaret]

Kevin was highly rated by other teams when we signed him.I have seen most games he's plated in and don't recall him ever letting us down .He's continues to be a model squad player.There have been others in the last few years who have turned in poor performance when asked to step up.

[Bordeauxclaret]

If he has had sound financial advice

He's no doubt a multi millionaire

How many of us can say that

I heard a rumour he’s bought a lot of property in Ireland over the years and has done very well from it.

[Inchy]

Footballers are a long time retired. He’s been sensible.


Say he left us after 5 years and played for a championship club, and he had 1 poor season at that club, well he’s in league one then. Then he might pick up an injury. Before he knows it he’s picking up peanuts in the league of Ireland.

That might sound far fetched but it happens all the time

[claretonthecoast1882]

A very very strange career

I am sure if he read your posts on here he would find you stranger.

He clearly enjoys life with Burnley, something you could never say

[wilks_bfc]

People complain that we have these squad players, seldom playing, on £x amount that if we got rid we could use it to sign a “quality” player, but you need players like Long that are willing and knowingly going to be 4th choice.

He’s rarely put a foot wrong when called upon and must be doing something right to have been offered deals/kept on for 12 years by 4 different managers

[Dy1geo]

Pleased for him that he has reached that milestone and has been very loyal, but he will have been handsomely rewarded during that period. He reminds me of an longstanding actor in a “Soap” happy to pick up a wage but has been “scared” to test his talents elsewhere in case he fails.

[Boss Hogg]

It’s his choice I suppose. Doesn’t let us down when called upon. If we go down he may get more chances. If by a miracle we stay up he’s already made for life so you’d think he’d want to move on if he wants to play games.

[buzzclarets79]

Kev Long & Burnley are just made for each other.

Happy to sit as 4th choice, on what will be a small to modest wage, can be depended on to perform solidly when called upon and doesn't get upset about not playing.

The only potential downside is does he stop someone like Bobby Thomas coming through, would he ever get ahead of Long.

[snapcrackleandpop]

Are you sure?

He has been loyal to this Club and we've been loyal to him.

Well done Kevin. Well done Sean Dyche

Course he's been loyal, he is getting paid to be a fan / spectator.

[ClaretAndJew]

You do know that, other than starting/playing games on a regular basis, he does literally every other thing that all the other players in the squad do.

Playing games is only half the job. The job we obviously see and value, but the job doesn't start at 3pm and finish at 5pm.

[tiger76]

Reliable squad player who we can call on in an injury crisis, and Kev has always given his all when he's played and as already mentioned he must be showing something for different managers to continue offering him new contracts.

Loyalty used to be valued, and it can't be denied Kev has been a loyal servant to the club. Yes he hasn't featured this season, but he played 16 games in our 7th placed season, so he definitely played his part in our European qualification.

And assuming Tarks moves on in the summer, he may well find himself 3rd choice behind Collins and Mee (if he stays), Bobby Thomas is more likely to feature if we drop, but is he up to the demands of PL footy yet.

What surprises me is for all his various loan spells in the lower leagues no-one has ever taken him on permanently.

[IanMcL]

Kevin Long is the ultimate squad player. He is obviously dedicated, despite rare appearances and that shows an extreme dedication to the task. He must be really good to have as a friend and must help gel the squad mentality.

He must love the club and the area and has had a decent financial payback for his loyalty. That will have set him and probably a wider family, for life.

He is surrounded by mates, at work everyday.

Still manages to demonstrate his worth, when called upon.
Multiple Ireland caps.

I would say that he has had a good working career, doing something he loves, in a place he is settled.

Nice one Kevin and thank you.

[Luppy]

How many years did Derek Scott get under his belt?

[Rileybobs]

You do know that, other than starting/playing games on a regular basis, he does literally every other thing that all the other players in the squad do.

Playing games is only half the job. The job we obviously see and value, but the job doesn't start at 3pm and finish at 5pm.

Incredible isn’t it. Bar 90 minutes per week he works as hard as anyone.

[warksclaret]

We simply need to become more commercial in our buying and selling-more so than the other PL clubs. We saw with the sales of Wood, Heaton and Voke's that selling at the right time has earned us over £40m, and I don't believe we may missed them. There would have been a defining moment in Kevin's 12 year stay with us when we could have commanded a 3 or 4 million pound transfer. After all he played for his country a number of times and always did well on loan.. This year we could have put him out on loan knowing Collins can step in to cover our two regulars and reduced our wage bill. Thomas is more than capable as No 4 centre half. Thankfully we know Alan Pace will want the OOC players to demonstrate they are worthy of a new contract in June.We should let Kevin know he needs to be finding a new club to further his career, and we need to be looking at the lower leagues or Scotland or abroad for the next "future Tarkowski". You never know that player might in time earn us a handsome fee.

[BleedingClaret]

He's 31 and just 200 games, quite a few as sub, in his legs, if we were to go down I'm sure he'd be more than good enough as cover for Collins

[longsidetrumpet]

How many years did Derek Scott get under his belt?

1974-85

[Dark Cloud]

I'm in the camp that rightly or wrongly feels he should have moved on to actually play football rather than sitting on his bum getting well payed not to play football (when actually he's rather good at playing football!) And the club are partly at fault for not making him leave and play football for someone else, but they keep renewing his contract knowing that he really isn't good enough at the level we're at. Seems a really good guy, but still....

[Rileybobs]

I'm in the camp that rightly or wrongly feels he should have moved on to actually play football rather than sitting on his bum getting well payed not to play football (when actually he's rather good at playing football!) And the club are partly at fault for not making him leave and play football for someone else, but they keep renewing his contract knowing that he really isn't good enough at the level we're at. Seems a really good guy, but still....

Why would the club do that when they would need to buy someone else to sit on their bum and not play football?

[boatshed bill]

Why would the club do that when they would need to buy someone else to sit on their bum and not play football?

So why did the club buy Collins?

[Rileybobs]

So why did the club buy Collins?

To strengthen our options but ultimately to replace Tarkowski who we knew was running his contract down.

[kindonesque]

Long may he stay!

[boatshed bill]

To strengthen our options but ultimately to replace Tarkowski who we knew was running his contract down.

So, in part, to sit on the bench?
I know he's a good signing, and largely for the future. But it indicates that KL isn't good enough, doesn't it?
My one concern is that if you sign players "for the bench" then that's what you get...little or no ambition from them to push on.

[Rileybobs]

So, in part, to sit on the bench?
I know he's a good signing, and largely for the future. But it indicates that KL isn't good enough, doesn't it?
My one concern is that if you sign players "for the bench" then that's what you get...little or no ambition from them to push on.

Yes exactly. We have a squad so some players need to sit on the bench. Long hasn’t always sat on the bench, he’s played 61 times for Burnley. Has he ever been good enough to push for a starting berth in the PL, no. But then again who knows how much he may have featured had we been relegated at any point over the last 5-6 years.

I questioned why the club would encourage him to move on and play more football. How would that be in our interests? I’d much rather have a fourth choice CB who has good experience at this level and is proven to be able to step in and do a job than, I don’t know, Ben Gibson.

[boatshed bill]

Yes exactly. We have a squad so some players need to sit on the bench. Long hasn’t always sat on the bench, he’s played 61 times for Burnley. Has he ever been good enough to push for a starting berth in the PL, no. But then again who knows how much he may have featured had we been relegated at any point over the last 5-6 years.

I questioned why the club would encourage him to move on and play more football. How would that be in our interests? I’d much rather have a fourth choice CB who has good experience at this level and is proven to be able to step in and do a job than, I don’t know, Ben Gibson.

I totally get your point here.
Some of this is down to SD's unwillingness to rotate, though we haven't always had the players.
The obvious question is does a player like KL stand in the way of up and coming players (Jimmy Dunne, for instance)?
Again, we haven't always had an up and coming defender to fill that 4th spot, but we should be able to now with Thomas.

[Rileybobs]

I totally get your point here.
Some of this is down to SD's unwillingness to rotate, though we haven't always had the players.
The obvious question is does a player like KL stand in the way of up and coming players (Jimmy Dunne, for instance)?
Again, we haven't always had an up and coming defender to fill that 4th spot, but we should be able to now with Thomas.

It potentially prevents up and coming players from getting into the match day squad, but it doesn’t prevent them being promoted to the first team.

[Dark Cloud]

I actually suspect that the real answer is that we've constantly kept him as an insurance policy against going down. He's not good enough for a regular PL spot and would never dislodge any of our incumbents, past or present, plus we constantly buy players who jump above him in the pecking order (Keane, Gibson, Collins etc) However, should we go down at any time (which has looked more than likely on numerous occasions) and our better CBs clear off, he would likely have been a ready made starter and I suspect that's been in our minds when we keep renewing his contract and perhaps in his mind too. It's possible still the case tbh.

[boatshed bill]

It potentially prevents up and coming players from getting into the match day squad, but it doesn’t prevent them being promoted to the first team.

an interesting way of looking at it.

[warksclaret]

If we were relegated we would hope to be a top three side in the Championship, I am not convinced he is good enough to be a back up CH in that situation, and certainly not a starter

[warksclaret]

I actually suspect that the real answer is that we've constantly kept him as an insurance policy against going down. He's not good enough for a regular PL spot and would never dislodge any of our incumbents, past or present, plus we constantly buy players who jump above him in the pecking order (Keane, Gibson, Collins etc) However, should we go down at any time (which has looked more than likely on numerous occasions) and our better CBs clear off, he would likely have been a ready made starter and I suspect that's been in our minds when we keep renewing his contract and perhaps in his mind too. It's possible still the case tbh.

I suspect now we have Alan Pace , players out of contract will have needed to have shown they warrant a new contract. In the past there has been little accountability re renewing contracts. More the case that its its easier to renew a contract, even if they are not up to starting, rather than finding and spending money on a new player. I am very interested in knowing what will happen to all our OOC players in June

[karatekid]

If we didn't have KL we would have had to pay a lot more than 12 million over the the last 12 years in wages and transfer fees for ready to play centre halves who made sure they were always match fit and sharp without appearing too much. As regards ambition, I suppose only KL can answer that question. He has obviously earned a lot of money for his family and isn't that why we all go to work first and foremost.