RYAN GIGGS will become LOUIS VAN GAAL's No. 2 at ManU. The two held "lengthy talks" at the United manager-in-waiting's apartment in Noordwijk on Wednesday. ManU's Executive Vice-Chair ED WOODWARD was "thought to have been present" during the talks, as well (LONDON TIMES, 5/15). ... EPL side Liverpool footballer LUIS SUÁREZ "batted away questions in Barcelona on whether he would stay with Liverpool while denying suggestions that there is a clause in his contract that enables him to leave for Real Madrid or Barcelona" (London GUARDIAN, 5/14). ... The girlfriend of Man City midfielder SAMIR NASRI "has unleashed an expletive-laden rant on Twitter" following the omission of her boyfriend from France's World Cup squad for Brazil. Nasri, who "was a key figure in Manchester City's Premier League title win," was left out of France's World Cup squad when Manager DIDIER DESCHAMPS unveiled a 23-man list plus seven standby players on Tuesday (THE AGE, 5/14).
IN AUSTRALIA: National Rugby League Sydney Roosters halback MITCHELL PEARCE "has slapped a booze ban on himself for the rest of the season to prevent more alcohol-fuelled incidents like the one which almost cost him his NSW jersey." Pearce "was given a one-match ban" and a A$20,000 ($18,000) fine after "being issued with an infringement notice by police for failure to quit a licensed premises in Kings Cross in the early hours of Sunday morning" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 5/14). ... Former Australian swimmer GEOFF HUEGILL and his publicist wife SARA HILL "have pleaded guilty to cocaine possession." The pair "were given six-month good behaviour bonds" in Waverley Local Court on Wednesday after "being caught with the prohibited drug in the bathrooms of an exclusive suite at Sydney's Randwick racecourse last month" (SMH, 5/14).
IN KOREA: South Korean footballer PARK JI-SUNG "retired from the sport on Wednesday at age 33, citing debilitating pain in his surgically repaired right knee" (KOREA HERALD, 5/14). ... PGA Tour veteran CHOI KYUNG-JU "was named a goodwill ambassador for the upcoming Asian Games to be held in the South Korean city of Incheon" (YONHAP, 5/14).
