You "could argue it is not the best endorsement LOUIS VAN GAAL has been handed to keep him in a job" at ManU but his predecessor DAVID MOYES believes that "the Dutchman should stay on at Old Trafford." Moyes believes van Gaal "should be given time to ride out the storm." Moyes said, "After Sir Alex the job was always going to be very difficult. It was going to take time. It was a rebuilding job at Manchester United. And you have to remember that DAVID GILL [United chairman who announced he was quitting two months before Ferguson] left who was a big influence at Manchester United. And I think even what Manchester United stand for is that they keep their managers. They have always supported their managers who have been before" (MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS, 12/30). ... French Pro D2 Rugby side USA Perpignan announced Wednesday that club President FRANÇOIS RIVIÈRE is “out of his coma in which he was artificially placed since his accident,” on Dec. 18. The club said, “He is breathing without assistance and will soon start a rehabilitation program” (L’ÉQUIPE, 12/30). ... Former Pakistani field hockey Olympian QAMAR IBRAHIM on Tuesday "refused to work as coach with the national hockey team citing family problems." Qamar resigned from his position 24 hours after another former Pakistan captain HANIF KHAN was "given the dual responsibility of manager-cum-chief coach of the national senior team by the Pakistan Hockey Federation." Qamar, who is serving as tournament director at the ongoing 63rd National Hockey Championship said that "he cannot take up the responsibility because of business and personal commitments" (Lahore DAILY TIMES, 12/30). ... Rugby union player and All Black SONNY BILL WILLIAMS "posted graphic images of dead children on Twitter after a visit to Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon." Williams "was in Lebanon as a UNICEF ambassador." The UN children's agency "objected to his use of the images, and said Williams had not consulted its staff." UNICEF spokesperson PATRICK ROSE said, "We see it as a fundamental infringement of those children's rights" (BBC, 12/30). ... Former ManU midfielder ANDERSON "is considering a move to the Chinese Super League, according to media reports in Brazil." The 27-year-old has "attracted interest from three Chinese clubs and one lower-tier English outfit." Anderson's current club Internacional is "said to have already rejected" a $6.5M offer from an unnamed Super League side (XINHUA, 12/30). ... Pakistan's cricket chief on Tuesday said that he "refused to accept one-day captain AZHAR ALI's resignation over the widely tipped selection of convicted spot-fixer MOHAMMAD AMIR, saying the team could not afford a crisis at this time." Ali had tendered his resignation to protest Amir's prospective return to the national team for next moth's tour of New Zealand, "almost six years after he was banned and jailed for deliberately bowling no-balls as part of a betting scam in a Test match" (GULF NEWS, 12/29). ... England rugby union coach EDDIE JONES has sprung a surprise by appointing IAN PEEL as England’s scrum coach for the 2016 Six Nations.
Peel "also joined the Saracens coaching staff with immediate effect after relinquishing his role" with England’s U20 side and will work alongside STEVE BORTHWICK, the recently appointed forwards coach, as Jones "continues to rebuild in the wake of the dismal World Cup campaign" (LONDON TIMES, 12/30).
CLEAN SHEETS FOR CHARITY: Arsenal goalkeeper PETR CECH will be given £5,000 ($7,415) to donate to a charity of his choice "after breaking the all-time Premier League clean sheet record on Monday night." Cech "kept Bournemouth out, in turn helping Arsenal go top of the table, to break DAVID JAMES' record of 169 clean sheets in the Premier League." But instead of a trophy to sit alongside his four Premier League winners' medals, four FA Cup titles and one Champions League triumph, he will instead be gifted a donation by the league." Cech "has his own football academy based in the Czech Republic and, while there is no suggestion he will choose it, he could donate the money there" (London DAILY MAIL, 12/30).
