Long wait almost over for Hull

Assuming that there are no last minute complications in the completion of his €7.4 million move from West Brom, Shane Long is all set to begin a new chapter is his career at Hull City — though a minor ankle knock could rule him out of a debut appearance for the Tigers against Norwich tomorrow.

Though the Ireland international had indicated he was content to stay at The Hawthorns, West Brom have maintained that the player turned down a brace of new contract offers from the club, with sporting and technical director Richard Garlick claiming yesterday: “We began talking to Shane about a new contract last spring and, during the ongoing negotiations, we made him two offers which would have significantly increased his salary. However, despite our best endeavours, Shane has declined to sign a new contract.

“Shane effectively only has 18 months left on his deal and with him no closer to accepting our terms and then Hull making an acceptable offer, we felt it was in the club’s best interests to accept the bid.”

Not everyone agrees. Echoing the views of a number of Baggies supporters, former West Brom hitman Kevin Phillips said he was “shocked” by Long’s departure.

“It’s a big gamble to move Shane on unless they have someone in mind,” said the veteran striker who has just joined Leicester City. “If this is about contracts then, again, I find that bizarre. The very fact at least one other Premier League club want him underlines how important he should still be for West Brom. I just hope this doesn’t backfire on the Albion over the longer term.

“Shane’s a fantastic player who offers so much to the side and not just goals. I can’t see that Albion have too many strikers who offer the same kind of work rate that he does, so if he does go he will be a big loss in that respect, especially that particular aspect of the game. It could be bordering on the suicidal unless West Brom have someone lined up to replace him, which I hope they have.”

Long may have professed reluctance to leave West Brom but even though he is now at club where there is some uncertainty about the future — given Hull owner Assem Allam’s recent threat to pull the plug — this must still be regarded as a positive move from a purely footballing perspective for the Tipperary man, upward in the fact that Hull City are better placed in the top flight than West Brom and onward in the sense that Steve Bruce, a fan of the player, should have no qualms about automatically starting alongside fellow new signing Nikica Jelavic.

It wasn’t so at The Hawthorns where, this season, Long has made 15 appearances — four as a sub — in 21 games in the Premier League. More worryingly, his goal return is just three, and two of those came against Aston Villa in November. Admittedly, they were both stunningly good goals which provided confirmation for the doubters that Long does indeed possess the superior skill to go with his already widely recognised qualities of pace, selfless work rate and power in the air.

Nonetheless, he has never been regarded as a clinical finisher, let alone a serial goalscorer, something the player himself has not been slow to admit. But, if he can hit the ground running at the KC Stadium and get his confidence up, then the basic equation of more games equals more goal opportunities will hopefully pay dividends.

That’s certainly how Martin O’ Neill is bound to view things as next month’s Euro 16 qualifying draw in Nice will help concentrate his mind on what Ireland will require to reach the finals in France in two years’ time.

Robbie Keane remains the team’s go-to guy for goals and will continue to be so unless age, injury or loss of form threatens his place in the side.

Long has scored 10 goals in 42 appearances for Ireland and the hope will be that the game time afforded him at Hull translates into a better goal return for his country.

And it won’t hurt Irish prospects either that, at the KC Stadium, Long will find himself among a cluster of Irish contenders — Robbie Brady, David Meyler, Paul McShane and Stephen Quinn — keen to make a similarly good impression for club and country.

Meanwhile, Shay Given could be edging closer to an international return this weekend with the news that Ireland assistant manager Roy Keane is to watch the veteran goalkeeper in action for Middlesbrough against Charlton tomorrow.

And Sunderland manager Gus Poyet has revealed that, contrary to expectation, Irish international Keiren Westwood could play again this season after better than expected results from his shoulder surgery.

But with Manchester United said to be interested in the Black Cats’ Vito Mannone, Sunderland could yet make a move for current Millwall and Ireland No 1 David Forde.