Sunday's Scottish Gossip

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Alan Hutton will open talks this week about a loan move to Blackpool as the Scotland defender continues to be out of favour with Aston Villa.

Full story: The People (print edition)

Scotland winger Craig Conway looks set to leave Cardiff City on loan just three months after scoring the goal that took the Welsh club to the Premier League.

Full story: Wales Online

Leeds United will pursue Birmingham City's Chris Burke when the Scotland winger is a free agent next summer after balking at the £600,000 asking price this summer.

Full story: Sunday Mail (print edition)

Crystal Palace manager Ian Holloway says his tough decision to leave summer arrival Stephen Dobbie out of his 25-man Premier League squad was a result of transfer window lunacy that ended with him signing more players than he anticipated.

Full story: Sunday Mirror

Blackburn Rovers manager Gary Bowyer insists Jordan Rhodes is not unhappy at Ewood Park, despite a transfer window move to Wigan Athletic being blocked.

Full story: Sunday Mail (print edition)

Gordon Strachan says he would change his one-striker system to accommodate a Champions League winner but not for Jordan Rhodes, despite his scoring record in the Championship in England as the Scotland manager does not rate the Blackburn Rovers player as a lone striker.

Full story: Sunday Mail

Steven Fletcher was not called up to Scotland's squad for their World Cup matches against Belgium and Macedonia because club manager Paolo Di Canio did not want him in international action after only one appearance as a substitute for Sunderland since returning from injury.

Full story: Sunday Mail

Scotland manager Gordon Strachan has hinted that he will try either Nottingham Forest's Jamie Mackie or Leeds United's Ross McCormack in a lone striking role against Macedonia on Tuesday.

Full story: Sunday Herald

Belgium defender Toby Alderweireid thinks Scotland could qualify for the next European Championship finals if they continue improving, but team-mate Jan Vertonghen believes their chances will be hampered by a lack of a top striker.

Full story: Sunday Mail (print edition)

Facing Macedonia two days after the young nation's independence day could inspire their footballers against Scotland on Tuesday.

Full story: Sunday Herald

Annan Athletic striker Kenny Mackay helped his side to the Ramsdens Cup semi-finals with victory over Formartine United hours after learning that his brother, Jamal, had been killed in the United States.

Full story: The Sun (subscription)

OTHER GOSSIP

Raymundo Beltran believes politics prevented him stripping Ricky Burns of his WBO lightweight title in Glasgow last night, the fight ending in a controversial draw.

Full story: Sunday Mail (print edition)