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"I was young at the time" ?!?! You were 27, man - hardly a naive 18 year old. Good player, no doubt, but equally a quite spectacular disaster area off it in many respects.

I read his autobiography. Its the funniest autobiography I've read since i read Perry Groves one. If he's ever in Dublin I'll buy him a pint. He sounds like he'd be a great laugh. Top man.

Almost universally loathed by everyone outside Mersyside: good player, but a bad ambassador for the game. Personally I won't miss him & whatever this coaching job is, I hope it's for the Lebanese reserves, then perhaps we can forget about him for a while.

What's this George? A blog with no mention of Leeds, Castleford or Harlequins? I'm stunned!

As for Long, great player, exactly the type of player Hull needed and a shame they couldn't get him out on the field more.

Sad to hear about Longy retiring. It must have been a really difficult decision for him as it is so obvious that he lives and breathes rugby league. He was a wonderful player - loved his killer drop goals, especially against Warrington! - and I would love someone of his ilk to appear at Saints again as we don't really have anyone like him at present. What a Saints legend he is. I hope he is as successful in his coaching career as he was in his playing career. I would definitely buy him a pint! Thanks for all the memories Longy!

100% RL, what a star...have a great retirement...thanks for the entertainment, mainly on the pitch !!

Great player, great guy, tells it how it is. The robbie Savage of Rugby league (but better). but if i see him out, he can buy me a pint!! he earn's more than me!

Sean Long is a legend breathed RL and after reading his autobiography i was endeared to him even more, a funny down to earth northern jack the lad who played hard and partied hard, Although a wire fan it was great just to watch him in his pomp made the game look easy and lit up Wembely every time he played there and won me a few quid too :O) All the best Sean in you new role

'Maverick' is a kind word for someone who was certainly a very good player at times, but self-obsessed and a disgrace to our sport. Rather a pathetic attempt to rewrite history on Long's behalf: he can't explain away his behaviour by pleading that he was young, when he was a well-established player. The incidents quoted recently are but a few of the many. I saw him at Warrington's Lego Stadium on Saturday and was surprised that someone with his scally appearance was allowed near the press box. Not an ambassador for the game in any way, shape or form.

As a Wakey fan, I am glad he is not coming to us as an Assistant coach.
He was a great player, but I can't imagine him being a particularly good coach as he is too much of an individual on & off the pitch.
I do think he brought the game into disrepute on a couple of occasions, although I think Saints did a few times when he was at his peak.
They pulled a few stunts with fielding second teams to prepare for bigger games (which was most definately against the rules - and was unfair, as it gave wins to teams who were involved in relegation scraps), one thing they did which I thought made us look poor was to field a team so poor as to lose a cross-code challenge.
Come to think of it, don't want Millward at Wakey either.
Long has gone where all old saints go - Salford

A super league legend but similar to Cunningham never left his comfort zone and went to the NRL or had an impact on the international stage, therefore will never be a 'great' or international class

i've met sean and he is a decent lad (although not the brightest) and i can say he learned his skill, quality and guile as a Wigan player, then learned how to disgrace himself and the game at St Helens

I agree with Sumo82 on this one, Longy might have won trophies and made his name at Saints but he became an absolute disgrace to society after getting led astray in the betting scandle by Kieran Cunningham and the bad influence in his personal life not helped by Paul Sculthorpe. Sean is a good man and as just made some bad descisions, i think if he would have stayed at Wigan or gone to warrington or bradford or leeds he would have been standing there now as much as a legend as Darren Lockyer but all he will be remembered for is the scandles and dodgy hairstyles!

always enjoyed watching Longy- great player and an entertainer but 1 thing he shouldnt have won was that 3rd Lance Todd award, Jon Wilkin was the man of the match that day- most saints fans would agree in my opinion- it was just the papers creating a story for themselves from a dull and predicatable game- not that it really matters
best moment was the drop goal to beat Bradford in the Grand final-

I think George that Sean Long was a very good player who had some great matches rather than a great player. It's all subjective of course but I just never saw him consistent enough to rank up with the great half backs in the world despite seeing him play magnificently in big games like the Grand Final and Challenge Cup final. Internationally he was perhaps unlucky to be up against "greats" like Andrew Johns or Brett Kimmorley when playing Australia or the great Stacey Jones when playing New Zealand and he never looked in the same league as these guys though he wouldn't be alone there.

Flying home from Australia early I think was understandable as his partner had given birth before the tour so he got homesick and facts like he played on with an eye injury that prevented him playing in daylight in case it burnt his eye out, says volumes about how much he loved the game. The betting scandal was a disgrace and he was rightly punished for it, and in truth his haircuts got him noticed more than his play in recent years.

Enjoy your retirement Longy and hope the coaching job allows you to pass on what you've learnt!

It's good to know that he's not going to be lost to the game. Salford have to be congratulated for giving him a chance in coaching.

I suppose old Sean must be the last of the St Helens legends to retire. What a team they had with Tommy Martyn, Cunningham and Sculthorpe. Such entertainers. We're not going to see the likes of those for a very long time. It is in part a shame that none of them tried the NRL but then again we were so lucky to have them over here. Thanks for the memories Sean and Co.

long was good for the game and he will make a good coach good luck

Long was a great player from Saints most of the negative comments made come from Wigan and Warrington fans, a touch of the green eyed monster me thinks. No player is perfect and all clubs have had controversial players in there ranks, currently Hock and Joel Monaghan, labelling Long a disgrace is overblown and faintly rediculous.

stackchimp... I understand your comments on Hock, but what has Joel Monaghan done wrong????

Stackchimp i think your showing a bit bitter with your comments on Hock and Joel Monaghan there, if i remember rightly didnt Longy purposley bet £1000 each on there own side to lose against Bradford as they knew they were fielding a depleted side? And Saints lost 54-8. That is certainly not overblown or ridicoulous when criticised. Hock simply had a night out were he got a bit giddy and decided he would do a robbie fowler and monaghan was just having a good time (what ever tickles your fancy?). These two cases didnt relate to rugby in general at all.

Isnt Long a filthy gambler?! whats the problem with Joel Monaghan???

He was loathed by opposition fans because they feared him, just like a certain full back who plays for Wigan now! Great Super League player, but I agree he underperformed at international level so he will never be considered a true great of the game worldwide. Sadly his form had been on the slide for several years and I think he has chosen the right time to quit. Won't be the last we hear of him though.

Naughty boy ....great player...wish him luck kkk......kkk....Not Betting on this are you?

Honestly the bitterness from Warrington and Wigan fans is laughable! Didn't Wigan offer Longy a decent contract to come and sign for Wigan again? Didn't Briers get sacked off by Saints in favour of Longy?
Sean Long may not be everyone's cup of tea but one thing is for sure there will be no better player to come out of super league with more success than him and you can throw Tomkins in that one as well.
True legend.

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