Tuesday's Scottish gossip

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Hamilton defender Michael Devlin reckons the Scottish FA is snubbing Accies players after he and team-mate Ziggy Gordon, who have made more than 100 senior appearances, were left out of the Scotland Under-21 squad while new team boss Danny Lennon chose three English-based players who have never made a first-team appearance for their clubs.(Daily Record)

Bournemouth winger Matt Ritchie has revealed he thought he was the victim of a prank when Gordon Strachan called him about a first call-up to the Scotland squad. (Daily Mail)

Scotland new boy Matt Ritchie has credited former Celtic icon Paolo di Canio for hurtling him from obscurity on to the international stage.(Daily Record)

Scotland manager Gordon Strachan admitted he needed to be sure he got the right vibes about "feeling Scottish" from new international call-up Matt Ritchie before naming the Gosport-born Bournemouth winger in the Scotland squad for the first time. (The Scotsman)

Bournemouth winger Matt Ritchie has dedicated his first call-up to the Scotland squad to his Edinburgh-born father, Alexander. (The Sun, print edition)

Mystery has deepened over Shane Ferguson after a Northern Ireland call-up for the player on loan to Rangers

Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill, who played for Dundee United and Hibernian before managing Brechin City, believes his players are now better off trying to forge a career in Scotland than in England. Almost half of his squad to face Scotland are either based there or have prior experience of Scottish football. (The Herald)

New Rangers manager Stuart McCall has expressed his bewilderment at Shane Ferguson's inclusion in the Northern Ireland squad to face Scotland next week as the 23-year-old winger, one of five players on loan from Newcastle United, has yet to even appear at the Ibrox club's Murray Park training ground as he recovers from a knee injury.(The Scotsman)

Manager Stuart McCall has warned his Rangers players that no-one will be guaranteed a start while he tries to find a winning formula at Ibrox. (Daily Record)

Former Rangers and Scotland manager Alex McLeish will hold talks with his Racing Genk bosses this week after failing to make the play-offs and fears his time in Belgium could be over after only a season.(The Herald)

With Sam Allardyce yet to be offered a new contract, West Ham United are ready to step up their pursuit of Real Sociedad head coach David Moyes after putting his old Everton scout, Tony Henry, in charge of their summer recruitment policy. (Daily Telegraph)

Celtic midfielder Nir Bitton has revealed he was only 24 hours away from missing Sunday's Scottish League Cup final victory over Dundee United because of an ankle injury.(Daily Record)

Celtic defender Virgil van Dijk insists he did not do anything wrong despite Dundee United counterpart Sean Dillon suggesting the Dutchman was at fault for the leg gash that required stitches during Sunday's Scottish League Cup final. (Daily Express)

Alex McLeish is under pressure after Racing Genk missed out on the play-offs in Belgium

Dundee United striker Mario Bilate, whose Tannadice stay has been dogged by injury, fears he could be sidelined again after limping out of Sunday's Scottish League Cup final defeat by Celtic. (The Courier)

Dundee midfielder Jim McAlister has undergone a hernia operation, but the Scottish Premiership club hope he could return to action within a couple of weeks. (Daily Star, print edition)

Hearts head coach Robbie Neilson has confessed that setting a new record of 99 points is helping to keep his players motivated as they enter a key week that could result in the Edinburgh side finally being crowned Scottish Championship champions. (The Herald)

Stephen Aitken says he is concentrating on Stranraer's promotion bid in Scottish League Two rather than speculation linking him with the manager's vacancy at Championship outfit Alloa Athletic. (The Sun, print edition)

OTHER GOSSIP

Full-back Rob Kearney has defended Ireland's inability to convert intense pressure into tries in Saturday's 23-16 defeat by Wales and insisted they are not "massively underperforming in comparison to other teams" ahead of their final Six Nations game against Scotland.(The Scotsman)

An invitation has been opened to Scottish golf clubs by Visit Scotland to be a potential host for the Solheim Cup in 2019 even though a decision has still to be made about a formal bid for the event between the women golf professionals of Europe and the United States. (The Scotsman)