To see Shane Long start the 2011/12 Championship season in a on Saturday came as a welcome surprise to most Royals fans. The Republic of Ireland international looked set to move on following the play-off final defeat to Swansea at Wembley in May, but fast forward three months and Long is still with Brian McDermotts side.Although according to reports from over the weekend Long appears destined for a transfer to West Bromwich Albion over the next few days, the striker clearly has feelings for the Berkshire side. He could have easily turned in a transfer request on the day after Wembley and demanded to leave. He didnt, however, and instead returned to pre-season as normal and went about his work like it was any other season.It was perhaps inevitable that a striker who scored 25 goals last season would end up in the Premier League one way or another this coming season. However, despite a number of clubs who were rumoured to be interested in the striker, it seems no firm, realistic offers were made over the summer.So would West Brom be a better option for the Irishman, rather than staying at Reading for another year and a Jake Ryan Jersey potential promotion push?It is certainly po sible to argue a good case for both sides.If Long was to stay in Berkshire, then he would be guaranteed first-team football, in an environment he knows better than anyone else and with a team which has a good chance of a succe sful top six finish, and po sibly promotion at the end of it.If Long decided to move up north, then yes hes at a Premiership club with an excellent, experienced manager who would more than likely improve him as a player (just look at Bobby Zamora). However, is first-team football a certainty? And what exactly are the aims for the club? Realistically survival is the number one objective and anything more than that would be a bonus.Its that catch-22 situation, between remaining with a side who are probably going to have a good season and win more games than theyll lose, and a team who will more than likely have a satisfactory campaign but will no doubt be losing more games than winningbut its at a higher level and youre playing regularly against some of the worlds best players, therefore improving instantly.Its a difficult situation but I can see as much as Long wouldve liked to have stayed with Reading, he is at the stage in his career where he not only needs but deserves regular Premiership football. You only need to look at Kevin Doyle to see how much he has progre sed in a short space of time at Wolves since his move from the Royals, and there was even a rumour that he was wanted by Arsenal earlier on this summer.So as a result, Long will decide to move on up the English League, but without his beloved Reading.And only time will tell if it is, ultimately, the right decision. Michael Schofield Jersey