Hull City boss Phil Brown has thrown down the gauntlet to his USA international striker Jozy Altidore. The 19-year-old striker was axed from Brown's squad for failing to arrive on time ahead of the 0-0 draw with Portsmouth.

"He'll be back in contention for the weekend but it's up to him now to prove that he's deserving of a place," Brown told the Hull Daily Mail.

"He's 19, he's at the beginning of his career but Jozy is being paid an awful lot of money to play professional football and it's part and parcel of his working life to be professional.

"The word professional to me means that you do everything right, even when people are not looking at you.

"He's apologised to his team-mates because he let them down."

Brown admits the teenager is still finding his fight, but warned him he must never fall short in his role as a professional.

"In his head he was maybe trying to do the right thing," said Brown. "The way of the world has moved on but old-fashioned beliefs and standards must be maintained.

"You have standards that you set yourself in any walk of life and you should never compromise them.

"Yes, you can cut people some slack in given situations, but not on a matchday.

"It's what you prepare for all week and to come in an hour and a half before a game shouldn't be too much to ask. To be 35 or 40 minutes late, it just beggars belief."