Ex-ManU and Netherlands Manager LOUIS VAN GAAL said that "he has retired from coaching after a 26-year career." Van Gaal, 65, has been "out of work" since being sacked by ManU hours after winning the FA Cup in May. Van Gaal said, "I thought maybe I would stop, then I thought it would be a sabbatical, but now I do not think I will return to coaching." Van Gaal also had "spells in charge of" Dutch sides Ajax and AZ Alkmaar, Barcelona and Bayern Munich (BBC, 1/16). ... Australia has "ramped up preparations for India with two key consultancy appointments," including former England spinner MONTY PANESAR. Panesar will soon begin work with STEPHEN O'KEEFE and MATT RENSHAW at Cricket Australia's Centre of Excellence in Brisbane in the lead-up to the four-test series starting in February. Retired Indian spinner SRIRAM SRIDHARAN has also been employed as a consultant and will accompany the team to Dubai for a training camp and then to India (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 1/17). ... Six-time Paralympic champion DAVID WEIR announced his Great Britain retirement with "criticism of British Athletics." Weir tweeted, "I have been let down again. Today is the day I officially retire from GB I will never put a shirt on again. #thanksBritishAthletics what a joke" (London TELEGRAPH, 1/17).