Will Brek Shea play again at Stoke City this year?

Perhaps agent Gary Mellor, who represents U.S. international Brek Shea, felt the need to move the public opinion needle back in his client’s direction following some recent comments that were something less than complimentary.

They weren’t scathing ... but not 100 percent positive, either.

U.S. manager Jurgen Klinsmann seemed to indicate some low-level disappointment with Shea’s choice to jump ship from MLS, landing in a spot where he’s now stuck along the sidelines.

Or, perhaps Mellor is simply expressing what Shea wants – to play! Either way, here’s what Mellor just told the local newspaper around Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, home to Stoke City FC:

“Brek is getting fitter all the time, he is training hard and putting the work in. In fact, he played that under-21 game after a full afternoon training session. He’s hoping that he gets a chance to prove he can do a job … Tony is well documented in saying that he is looking to next season for Brek, but Brek is still hopeful that he can get a chance at some stage this season.”

The “Tony” here is Stoke manager Tony Pulis, who has been careful to nurse Shea along following winter foot surgery. The former FC Dallas man has two appearances since his $3.8 million move across the Atlantic in January.

Stoke has three matches remaining in the 2012-13 EPL season.