Wednesday's Scottish gossip

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

New Nottingham Forest manager Dougie Freedman is on the shortlist of targets, along with Valencia number two Ian Cathro, to be Rangers manager after Kenny McDowall announced he is serving his notice. (The Sun, print edition)

The Rangers Supporters Trust has dented the Ibrox board's hopes of winning next month's crucial extraordinary meeting vote after buying up a chunk of shares previously controlled by football board chairman Sandy Easdale and owned by Beaufort Nominees. (The Scotsman)

Self-made billionaire Jim McColl has backed shareholder Dave King to succeed at next week's Rangers extraordinary meeting and admitted he can't wait to hear news that the current board has been ousted. (Daily Record)

Former Rangers goalkeeper Andy Goram fears that Rangers could go into administration for a second time if shareholder Dave King fails to oust the current board next week and the fans continue their protests against the club's hierarchy. (The Herald)

Nottingham Forest manager Dougie Freedman is said to be high on Rangers' wanted list

Scottish clubs could be punished for the misbehaviour of their fans, with a tougher regime employed by European governing body Uefa being introduced in Scotland in face of growing disquiet over recent disorder, principally involving Rangers supporters. (Daily Telegraph)

The Scottish Professional Football League has been told to focus on stamping out bigotry in Scottish football instead of trying to re-introduce the sale of alcohol, with anti-sectarianism campaigners Nil By Mouth writing to every club in the country in a bid to implement Uefa's strict liability rules on unacceptable conduct applied in Scotland. (Daily Record)

Scottish football will face three years of disruption if Fifa ratifies a recommendation to stage the Qatar World Cup in November and December of 2022. (The Herald)

Belgium coach Marc Wilmots will be at the San Siro on Thursday to watch uncapped on-loan Manchester City defender Jason Denayer face Inter Milan for Celtic with a view to a possible international call-up. (The Sun, print edition)

Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini has conceded that his side remain consumed by the fear of conceding late goals and issued a plea for greater concentration and intensity from his defenders ahead of Thursday evening's Europa League visit of Celtic. (The Herald)

Celtic captain Scott Brown, fellow midfielder Stefan Johansen and defender Virgil van Dijk face being suspended in the next round if they are booked against Inter Milan and the Scottish champions progress in the Europa League on Thursday. (The Sun, print edition)

Celtic midfielder Charlie Mulgrew is disappointed to be missing the Europa League meeting with Inter Milan but says he will never again rush a return from injury. (Daily Record)

A rapid recovery from injury means Aberdeen defender Ash Taylor could be available for Sunday's top-of-the-table meeting with Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic. (Daily Record, print edition)

St Mirren defender Jeroen Tesselaar has denied criticising the town of Paisley

St Mirren defender Jeroen Tesselaar has denied he criticised Paisley when speaking to Dutch magazine Voetbal International and insisted he had been misquoted. (Daily Record)

James Morrison says there was no dressing-room opposition to Darren Fletcher being named captain when he joined West Brom from Manchester United as his fellow Scotland midfielder is a natural leader. (The Scotsman)

Alex Smith, chairman of the Scottish League Manager's Association, has criticised Coventry City for sacking Steven Pressley, saying his fellow Scot was not given enough time to achieve his goals with the League One strugglers. (The Herald)

Defender Brian McLean, who left Ross County in the summer saying he could not work with then manager Derek Adams, has signed for Brenei DPMM, the Singapore club managed for fellow Scotsman Steve Kean. (Daily Express, print edition)

OTHER GOSSIP

Scotland captain Greig Laidlaw expects either Greig Tonks or Peter Horne to play at fly-off against Italy on Saturday should Finn Russell lose his appeal today against a two-week ban, the scrum-half ruling out a switch for himself to No.10 despite substantial experience in that position. (The Scotsman)

One of Edinburgh's leading golf clubs, Duddingston, has withdrawn its support for a merger between the game's two governing bodies in Scotland - the Scottish Golf Union and the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association - after claiming it is a "facade" due to the proposal not introducing proportional representation. (The Scotsman)

Top Scottish golfers Catriona Matthew and Stephen Gallacher have added their support to the proposed merger of the the Scottish Golf Union and the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association. (The Herald)

David Lloyd has denied that his suggestion that Scotland's leading wicket-taker, Majid Haq, is a mere "lobber" implied a lack of skill after the former England coach was himself criticised on Twitter. (The Herald)