[Axly Suregrip]

I always played it that the play forcing the retreat chose the hex (had to force a disengage, so not an adjacent hex) and the player retreating chose the facing.

The rules state who picks the hex.

Since it did not mention facing, it seems to me that the retreater gets to chose his own facing. This makes sense to me: some one has injured you and forcing you back, you can choose to keep your eye on him or watch out for a worse threat.