Friday's Scottish gossip

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Celtic captain Scott Brown missed the club's flight home from Austria on Thursday night following their 2-2 Europa League draw with Salzburg, as the midfielder took so long to produce a urine sample for a drug test after the match. (Daily Record)

Goalkeeper Craig Gordon was Celtic's star man in Austria and he reckons his side should have taken all three points from the match, having led 1-0 and 2-1. (Various)

Dundee manager Paul Hartley decided against joining Cardiff City after having a late change of heart about working with City owner Vincent Tan, despite being offered a £250,000-a-year deal by the English Championship club. (Daily Record)

Former Scotland skipper Gary McAllister believes Hartley will be the top target for English clubs who axe their managers in the coming months. (Daily Record)

It is feared Scotland's bid to host games during the European Championships in 2020 is doomed to failure, with Dublin, Cardiff and London likely to get the nod. (Daily Record)

Scottish FA chief executive Stewart Regan says hosting games in 2020 would be a fitting tribute to the memory of former SFA chief executive David Taylor, who died in June. (Daily Record)

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes has refused to talk about the allegation that Celtic winger Aleksandar Tonev racially abused Dons defender Shay Logan. (Daily Record)

The Pittodrie club are, however, believed to be angry that Celtic manager Ronny Deila dismissed the allegation against Tonev ahead of any SFA decision on the case. (Express)

Hibernian boss Alan Stubbs says midfielder Dylan McGeouch is the man to spark an upturn in the Easter Road outfit's fortunes. (Various)

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has signed a new bumper deal with the club, but he revealed he never asked club owner Randy Lerner about a contract, and doesn't even have an agent. (Star)

OTHER GOSSIP

Scot Stephen Gallacher insists there is no need to panic about his seven-over-par opening round at the Wales Open, ahead of his Ryder Cup debut later this month. (Herald)

Andy Murray says he will definitely be playing for Great Britain in the Davis Cup in March, despite the controversy over his support for Scottish Independence. (Daily Record)