Briefs

A round-up of today's other stories in brief

Kean agrees to pay substantial damages to Allardyce

West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce has accepted substantial undisclosed damages over a claim that he was sacked from his previous post at Blackburn Rovers because he was a "crook".

Allardyce, whose side played United in last night’s FA Cup tie at Old Trafford, brought defamation proceedings in London’s High Court against Steve Kean, who was Blackburn’s manager during a summer 2011 pre-season tour of the Far East.

His solicitor, Hanna Basha, told Justice Eady that the “false and defamatory” allegation, made while Kean was drinking in a bar in Hong Kong, was filmed on a camera phone and subsequently published to many hundreds of thousands of people over the internet and reported in the national press. She said that Kean had acknowledged the allegation was completely untrue, withdrawn it, and agreed to pay a substantial sum in damages.

Kean’s counsel, John Mehrzad, offered his apologies for the hurt and distress caused and said he was pleased to set the record straight.

Basha said that Allardyce’s claim against Blackburn had been settled and as the club had published an apology on its website, it was not a party to yesterday’s statement in court.

No Premier League players in uefa.com team of the year

Uefa's website announced their 2012 team of the year yesterday with, for the first time, no players from the Premier League among the all-star line-up.

Uefa said a record 5.3 million votes had been cast by nearly half a million users of www.uefa.comwith eight players named from clubs in Spain's La Liga.

The team of the year, now in its 12th edition, does not bear the official Uefa imprimatur but is popular among fans.

Barcelona and Real Madrid had four players each and Barcelona's Andres Iniesta was chosen by nearly near three out of every four voters.

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, Barcelona goal-machine Lionel Messi and Iker Casillas made the team for the sixth year in a row.

UEFA.COM TEAM OF THE YEAR: Casillas (Real Madrid), Ramos (Real Madrid), Pique (Barcelona), Silva (AC Milan/PSG), Lahm (Bayern Munich), Iniesta (Barcelona), Hernandez (Barcelona), Pirlo (Juventus), Ozil (Real Madrid), Messi (Barcelona), Ronaldo (Real Madrid).

QPR confirm striker Remy signs for club record fee

QPR have confirmed the signing of Marseille striker Loic Remy for a club record fee.

The France international has signed a four-and-a-half-year deal at Loftus Road after choosing the Premier League basement boys over Newcastle. The official fee for the 26-year-old has not been disclosed.

Manchester United chief executive David Gill has confirmed the club want to sign Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha.

The forward has been linked with all the Premier League's top clubs since emerging from the Crystal Palace academy to become a full England international this season.

According to recent reports, United have stolen a march on the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham by offering a lucrative deal which involves loaning Zaha back to Palace for the rest of the Championship campaign.

Louis Saha is to leave Sunderland after the club agreed to cancel the remainder of the French striker's contract. Saha has failed to secure a starting place at the Stadium of Light since arriving on a one-year deal last summer and an unnamed South African club are now set to offer him an escape route.

City's Tevez banned from driving for six months

Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez has been banned from driving for six months after ignoring police letters about speeding offences because he did not understand the word "constabulary".

The Manchester Evening News reported yesterday that the Argentine international had pleaded guilty to three offences, including driving without a valid UK licence, at a magistrates court hearing.

The player's lawyer told magistrates that Tevez had not responded to the letters because he had not understood them.

"He does understand the word 'police', but not more complicated words. The letters are written from Cheshire Constabulary and the word police doesn't appear on it anywhere," solicitor Gwyn Lewis said.

"The word constabulary is not one that is recognised internationally, but of course police is."

Tevez (28) had driven with an Argentine licence and was not present in court.