Burnley defender ready for his Cork return

It wasn’t just Burnley that had shown such keen interest in the teenage defender either in 2009.

The Clarets had needed to fend off Celtic’s concerted advances to get their man. Their young man.

With barely any senior experience, then Burnley boss Owen Coyle saw enough potential in the towering centre half to bring him to Turf Moor. But it was only last season – in the last of his three-year contract – that Clarets fans were able to share that vision.

Long had suffered a few false starts, including a red card just 17 minutes into his Accrington Stanley and Football League debut.

Things only got better for the Irishman under John Coleman though, who took him back to the Crown Ground on two further occasions – once that season, once the next.

Then, when Coleman quit the Reds after almost 13 years to take charge of Rochdale in January 2012, Long made the step up to League One to end the season on loan at Spotland.

Each time, Long received rave reviews, which edged him closer to the first team.

But then manager Eddie Howe wanted to have a look at him under alternative management and in a whole new environment.

Long was thrown out of his north west comfort zone by a move to Portsmouth.

Yet a six-game spell on the south coast did not faze him.

He grew up down there, in life and in football, and came back ready to seriously take on his first team challenge two months into the last year of his contract.

He made his debut as a last minute substitute in a 3-3 draw with Sheffield Wednesday – an occasion overshadowed by the Owls coming back from 3-1 down to salvage a late point.

A change of manager provided another bump in the road.

But it was not long before Sean Dyche was added to Long’s ever lengthening list of admirers, and against Watford in December – the 22-year-old finally made his full debut, going on to fully establish himself in the back four from February.

He goes back to where it all started tonight, as Burnley face Cork City in a friendly (kick-off 7pm) at the end of their five-day training camp, and in what is set to be a family affair.

“I’ve no idea how many are coming to the game but I’ve got a large family and I expect quite a few of them will want tickets,” said Long, who is looking forward to running out at Turner’s Cross for the first time since his 2009 departure.

“I’ve been back to watch a few games but this will be the first time I’ve been back their playing there so I’m looking forward to that.”

Recalling his big move, Long admits he couldn’t believe his luck when Premier League clubs, north and south of the border, were vying for his signature.

“I’d just broken into the Cork team and had hardly played any games when all of a sudden there was talk of these teams coming in for me.

“I’d just broken into the Cork team and had hardly played any games when all of a sudden there was talk of these teams coming in for me.

“It was towards the end of our season, and I didn’t think too much of it at the time. It was all new to me.

“But before I knew it I was signing for Burnley.”

And Long says the move across the Irish sea itself presented a serious of issues off the pitch for a young professional footballer.

He added: “It’s the first time I’d been away from home by myself like that and when I first came over here I was staying in a hotel on my own for about three months.

“It was lonely, and there were lots of personalities – a lot different than I’d been used to – in the dressing room.

“The football took a while to get used to as well. It took me a little bit of time to settle in.

“But I’ve got a lot of friends here now, I’m living in Manchester and enjoying life at Burnley.”

Long believes the numerous loan spells were beneficial to the bedding in process, and have helped to form him into the player he is today, leading to him towards a new contract with the Clarets.

He believes he is now ready to push on this year.

“I signed a new contract towards the end of last season and I’ve been working hard during the summer working on my fitness to give myself a head-start this summer,” he said.

“Training has been tough since we came back, and in Cork there’s been even more hard work to do.

“No-one likes pre-season, but everyone has to go through it, and it’s good for me that I get to spend part of it back in Cork.”

One of the big tourist attractions in Long’s home city is Blarney Castle, where kissing the Blarney Stone is said to “bestow the gift of eloquence”.

“I did it when I was younger,” said Long.

These days, he prefers to let his football do the talking.