Soccer-Melbourne City sign ex-Ireland midfielder Miller

SYDNEY, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Melbourne City have signed former Celtic, Manchester United and Ireland playmaker Liam Miller on a short-term contract as they deal with a chronic shortage of midfielders. The 33-year-old, who had his contract cancelled in acrimonious circumstances by A-League champions Brisbane Roar last month, will be available to play against Central Coast Mariners on Sunday. The club, rebranded for this season after the takeover by English champions Manchester City, will be without midfielders Aaron Mooy and Stefan Mauk, who will be on national team duty this weekend. Their midfield stocks have been further depleted by injuries to Slovenian marquee player Robert Koren, Argentine Jonatan Germano and Massimo Murdocca, while Spain striker David Villa's loan spell from New York City was cut short last week. Miller, who played 21 times for Ireland, was a key member of the Brisbane team that won the A-League title for the third time in four years in May, playing 24 matches and scoring three goals last season. He demanded his contract was cancelled two weeks ago, feeling he had been "disrespected" by being dropped without explanation. Brisbane have lost their first four matches of the new season. (Reporting by Nick Mulvenney; Editing by John O'Brien)