Soccer Shorts

A round up of today's other soccer news in brief

Flood may consider quitting Celtic

WILLO FLOOD will consider quitting Celtic if he fails to win regular first-team football before the end of the year. The Irishman – Gordon Strachan’s final signing as Hoops managaer back in January – made a rare start in Saturday’s 2-1 friendly defeat at former club Manchester City.

Flood (24) struggled to win a first-team place under Strachan last season and appears to have fallen further down the pecking order under new manager Tony Mowbray.

Flood, who joined Celtic from Cardiff after 18 months on loan at Dundee United, said: “If you go from playing week in, week out to being a bit-part player, it can be frustrating. But I’ll need to keep my head down and see what happens in the next couple of weeks . . . But if I’m not involved by January, I will have to go in and speak to the manager.”

Hull City agree fee with Reading for Hunt

HULL CITY are close to signing Republic of Ireland winger Stephen Hunt after agreeing a fee with his club Reading. The 28-year-old is on international duty this week but could complete a move to Hull before the Premier League opener against Chelsea on Saturday.

He is set to hold contract talks with Hull and have a medical, Reading confirmed last night. The fee involved has not been disclosed.

Hunt, who joined Reading from Brentford in 2005, was the subject of strong interest from Sunderland last year and would add strength and experience to the Hull midfield.

Hull have also been linked with Celta Vigo’s Algerian forward Kamel Ghilas. Hull manager Phil Brown completed one transfer yesterday as Hull succeeded in gaining a work permit for United States striker Jozy Altidore.

The 19-year-old last week agreed to join on a season-long loan from Spanish side Villarreal, and yesterday that deal was finalised.

Bellamy’s Wales future in doubt

CRAIG BELLAMY’S Wales future could be in jeopardy following his failure to show up for the trip to face Montenegro. Wales manager John Toshack is privately seething that Manchester City “forgot” to inform the Football Association of Wales (FAW) that their captain was not fit for the trip to the Balkans, and tomorrow’s match.

Toshack needed to have the situation explained to him on arrival at Podgorica airport, having left Cardiff on an early-morning flight with the rest of his squad. He was told by a reporter Manchester City had omitted to contact the FAW over Bellamy’s fitness following Saturday’s 2-1 win over Celtic when the 30-year-old scored the winner.

Toshack said: “I have not heard from the player or the club, I don’t know why he is not here.”

The FAW are stunned by City’s explanation they forgot to notify them over Bellamy’s situation.

The striker has not played for Wales since February in a 1-0 defeat by Poland.

O’Shea signs for Birmingham

BIRMINGHAM CITY have completed the signing of Republic of Ireland under-21 winger Jay O’Shea.

O’Shea sealed his move from Galway United to the newly-promoted Premier League club yesterday and signed a two-year contract, which could be extended by two further years should he impress.

The 20-year-old, who has joined for an undisclosed fee, can play on the right of midfield or as a striker, and scored 10 goals for Galway last season.

Barcelona’s US trip earns €5-6m

BARCELONA’S 12-DAY pre-season tour of the US has earned the club between €5-6 million, the European champions said yesterday.

Pep Guardiola’s side won friendlies against the Los Angeles Galaxy and the Seattle Sounders, and drew with Mexicos Guadalajara. Around 221,000 fans attended the three games on the US west coast.

“We are opening an important market, we have sealed a contract with our sponsors there for three years. We are committed to returning because Barca are taking off in the USA,” club director Joan Boix said. “We will have made between €5-6 million. There is an immediate impact which is the income from the tour, and in the medium term there is the goodwill generated for the Barca brand in a country as important as the US.”

They returned from San Francisco on Sunday and have a week to prepare for the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup against Athletic Bilbao at San Mames next Sunday.

Ferguson accused over interview

SCOTTISH FA chief executive Gordon Smith yesterday accused Barry Ferguson of trying to disrupt Scotland’s preparations for tomorrow night’s World Cup qualifier in Norway.

Former team captain Ferguson launched an attack on the Scottish FA over their handling of the “Boozegate” affair in an interview in the Evening Times.

Smith insisted he had yet to read the article in which Ferguson brands the organisation a “joke” but was suspicious about the timing of it.

“The timing’s obviously planned to try to be negative regarding something to do with the team,” said Smith. “All of a sudden, after four months, to speak this week is a major aspect of it.”

Assistant manager Terry Butcher was just as critical. “It’s not good timing when it comes two days before one of the most important matches Scotland will ever play.”