Hunt in battle for World Cup fitness

READING’S Noel Hunt missed out on last night’s game against Norwich and, worryingly for Giovanni Trapattoni, could even be out for the remainder of the season.

The Irish international and brother of team-mate Stephen, sustained a broken bone in his foot during the recent game against Barnsley, and Reading boss Steve Coppell suggested that the player will have to show quick powers of recovery to play any further part in Reading’s promotion chase — and indeed in Ireland’s World Cup campaign, which concludes for the summer with a qualifier away to Bulgaria on June 6.

Said Coppell: “Noel has a small fracture in a bone and he’s unlikely to play a part now, however long our season is. But you never know with Noel. He has a will and determination to get fit as soon as he can.”