Former South Korean football coach JEONG JONG-DEOK died of a heart attack aged 73. Jeong coached Konkuk University in Seoul for 20 years starting in '80, "winning seven trophies in domestic college football tournaments." His list of former pupils features former Tottenham player LEE YOUNG-PYO and former national team striker HWANG SUN-HONG and midfielder YOO SANG-CHUL. After announcing his retirement from coaching in '02, Jeong "briefly worked as a football commentator and later joined K-League Classic club Pohang Steelers as a technical director" in '05 (YONHAP, 2/18). ... EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR holds DANIEL LEVY responsible "for stalling his efforts" to leave Tottenham last year.
Adebayor "was made a free agent after coming to an agreement over terms to terminate his contract in September, two weeks after the end of the summer transfer window." He said, "My relationship with the manager was beautiful. I think we have a very good relationship and had man to man conversations. ... With the club itself, I did not have a good relationship with the chairman Daniel Levy because he made everything complicated" (London TELEGRAPH, 2/18). ... Convicted spot-fixer MERVYN WESTFIELD can play professional standard cricket this year "as he tries to rebuild his career after being jailed for cheating." The fast bowler "served eight weeks in prison and was banned from professional cricket" for five years in '12. The England & Wales Cricket Board "has now given Westfield special dispensation to play for county second XI or minor counties for 12 months" (BBC, 2/18).
NEYMAR CASE: Brazilian investment fund DIS reportedly wants Real Madrid President FLORENTINO PÉREZ to testify in the "Neymar case." The judge presiding over the case has asked the district attorney's office about the possibility of Pérez testifying, but, according to El Confidencial, "it is not likely that Pérez will be called to testify" (AS, 2/18).
ASHLEY TO FACE GRILLING: Attempts by Scottish Championship side Rangers shareholder MIKE ASHLEY "to avoid facing a public grilling by MPs over the controversial practices exposed at his Sports Direct retail empire appear to have failed."
The billionaire "approached politicians on the Business Select Committee and invited them to Sports Direct’s Shirebrook headquarters, which also houses its warehouse."
But any hope he had of using the meeting to avoid an appearance before the committee ended when Chair IAIN WRIGHT said that "the businessman would still be invited to answer questions publicly in Westminster" (London INDEPENDENT, 2/18).
MANU OPEN TO ROONEY SALE: ManU is reportedly "open to selling" WAYNE ROONEY to a Chinese Super League club in the summer -- but only if it makes a marquee signing. ManU has received an offer from a Chinese club for its 30-year-old captain, "who is sidelined for six weeks with a knee injury."
Rooney, 30, could earn at least £500,000 ($716,700)-a-week in the Far East, however ManU "would need to offset his potential departure with an eminent replacement their global partners would approve of to promote their products" (MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS, 2/18).
