Friday's Scottish gossip

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

New Rangers manager Stuart McCall says taking the job until the end of the season is a gamble he could not refuse. (Various)

"Stuart McCall is a great appointment and will lift things straight away" says his former Motherwell player Tom Hateley. (Daily Mail)

Ex-Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock has also backed McCall to be a hit at Ibrox, saying "I don't think he [Dave King] could have got anybody better". (Sun)

Jackie McNamara has hit out at Celtic for calling for his Dundee United players to be banned for the League Cup final. (Various)

Celtic manager Ronny Deila wants football's governing bodies to introduce video replays. It follows defender Virgil Van Dijk, along with Dundee United duo Paul Paton and Nadir Ciftci all being cleared to play in Sunday's League Cup final. (Various)

Striker Anthony Stokes insists he has no need to apologise for his breach of club discipline that saw him left out of the Europa League tie with Inter Milan. The Irish striker had returned late from a trip to Dublin. (Scotsman)

Scotland have dropped one place in the new FIFA rankings. (Various)

Hamilton's Michael McGovern is desperate to add to his single Northern Ireland cap when they play Scotland on March 25. (Daily Record)

Gordon Strachan's Scotland have dropped one place in the FIFA rankings.

Motherwell boss Ian Baraclough admits he may have to abandon the club's new scouting plans should they be relegated, after the appointment of Gary Owers as their new head of recruitment. (National)

Kilmarnock manager Gary locke says they must win their next two games to have any hope of making the top six. (Various)

Locke is also hoping he and a number of players at Rugby Park will get their futures sorted out after the club's AGM on March 26. (Various)

Hibs fans now own more than five per cent of the club through the Hibernian Supporters Limited (HSL). (Daily Mail)

Meanwhile Edinburgh rivals Hearts have already sounded out potential new signings ahead of their impending return to the Scottish top flight. (National)

OTHER GOSSIP

Alex Dunbar is set to miss this autumn's Rugby World Cup after the Glasgow Warriors centre ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament. (Various)