Hughes beckoned back by Gould

Bobby Gould, the manager of Wales, yesterday made his peace with Mark Hughes by naming the striker in his squad for the friendly with Italy in Terni on 24 January.

"I haven't spoken to Mark and he'll find out that he's in the squad when he reads his name on Teletext," Gould said. "As far as I'm concerned everything else that has happened is water under the bridge." The Chelsea forward's international career looked over when Hughes declined to travel to Albania for Wales' final European Championship qualifier in November.

Marc Hottiger's proposed pounds 700,000 transfer from Newcastle to Everton has been delayed for at least 24 hours. The 27-year-old Swiss international hoped to complete the move yesterday after the two clubs agreed a fee, but his agent has been unable to travel from Switzerland to discuss terms.

Roger Stanislaus has been suspended on full pay by Leyton Orient after being charged by the Football Association with misconduct following a positive drug test for cocaine. It was announced on Tuesday that the 27- year-old defender had failed a random test after a match in November.

n The Barcelona president, Jose Luis Nunez, said yesterday that Johan Cruyff's days as coach could be numbered. "If he (Cruyff) had fewer years at the club I would have acted quickly and without hesitation," Nunez said.