Soccer Shorts.

By Cathal Dervan

MANCHESTER Uni-ted and Ireland star John O’Shea has admitted he will have to put up with life as a left-back for club and country. O’Shea said, “I regard myself as more of a left back now. Rio Ferdinand and Mikael Silvestre are established as the center backs and doing very well so it would be just plain silly for me to say I only want to play there!” O’Shea and Damien Duff have both been nominated for the UEFA team of the year for 2003 with voting on the official website at www.uefa.com. . . .

FORMER Ireland winger Alan Mahon wants to stay at Ipswich Town when his loan from Blackburn Rovers expires early next month . . .

JIMMY Greene has stepped down as manager of eircom League First Division side Athlone Town but will remain on board as youth development officer with the club . . . 

FORMER international Jimmy Nicholl has emerged as favorite to succeed Sammy McIlroy as Northern Ireland manager . . .

GRAHAM Kavanagh is expected to return to the Cardiff City side against Millwall on Saturday for the first time since he was injured on international duty against Canada last month . . .

JASON McAteer is eyeing an international return after marking his long awaited Sunderland comeback with a goal in the 3-2 defeat at West Ham on Saturday . . . 

TOTTENHAM are to open talks with Stephen Carr on a new contract next month, while the club’s young Irish striker Mark Yeates is to spend another four weeks on loan at Brighton.