League Championship side Blackpool will announce that former Scottish League 1 Rangers and Scotland captain BARRY FERGUSON "is to become their manager," after PAUL INCE "paid the price" for nine defeats in 10 matches and was sacked. Ince’s assistant, ALEX RAE, "will also be leaving the club" (London INDEPENDENT, 1/21). ... Japan's KAMUI KOBAYASHI "has returned" to F1 after agreeing a deal with Caterham to race for no salary and pay the team more than $1M raised from fans through online donations. Kobayashi, whose comeback was announced by the tail-end team on Tuesday, said that he met Owner TONY FERNANDES at a Queens Park Rangers match in London in December and said that "he just wanted to drive" (REUTERS, 1/21). ... Retired footballer DAVID BECKHAM is off to the Peckham district in London -- "as a guest in a special Only Fools And Horses sketch" reuniting DEL BOY and RODNEY "for the first time in a decade." Beckham "will appear in the film, to be screened as part of BBC1's 'Sport Relief' night in March" (London GUARDIAN, 1/21). ... Spanish second division side Deportivo de La Coruña President AUGUSTO CÉSAR LENDOIRO's 25-year tenure with Deportivo "officially ended on Tuesday" (MUNDO DEPORTIVO, 1/21). ... Valencia Provincial Council President ALFONSO RUS said that if he receives an offer to become president of La Liga Valencia, "he will consider it." Rus: "With Valencia, or any sports team, it is important to help it economically but at the same time, the level of the players also has to improve" (EFE, 1/21).
FIRST PITCH: MLB Boston Red Sox pitchers KOJI UEHARA and JUNICHI TAZAWA met Tuesday with U.S. Ambassador to Japan CAROLINE KENNEDY during a tour to share the 2013 World Series trophy with baseball fans in in the country. Earlier in the day, the two pitchers presented PM SHINZO ABE with a Red Sox jersey and "talked baseball with the Japanese leader" (AP, 1/21).
