Gossip column: Scottish league shake-up, SFA calls in dentist

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Scottish football could be set for its most radical shake up ever, with discussions ongoing between the Scottish Professional Football League and Scottish FA aimed at league reconstruction in time for the start of the 2016-17 campaign. Serious consideration is being given to a switch to two top leagues of 12 - split into three of eight - after each team had played each other twice. (Sunday Post)

Pressure is mounting on the Scottish FA over the upcoming friendly against Qatar in Edinburgh, with some Scotland fans planning a boycott over human rights abuses in the Gulf state. (Sunday Herald)

Scotland manager Gordon Strachan says the friendly against Qatar followed by the Euro 2016 qualifier against Republic of Ireland is not ideal as they come after players have wound down following the end of their domestic seasons. (Scotland On Sunday)

Scotland manager Gordon Strachan is pleased at the lack of call-offs by players despite the friendly against Qatar followed by the Euro 2016 qualifier against Republic of Ireland coming at the end of a long season. (Sunday Herald)

Republic of Ireland striker Robbie Keane has revealed that he is getting closer to being 100% fit for next month's Euro 2016 qualifier against Scotland in Dublin. (Sun On Sunday, print edition)

Republic of Ireland's Robbie Keane is close to being 100% fit to face Scotland

Scotland manager Gordon Strachan will call Stuart McCall on Monday to confirm whether the Rangers manager, whose side face Motherwell in the second leg of their Scottish Premiership Play-off final on Sunday, is available to rejoin his backroom staff in preparation for Scotland's Euro 2016 qualifier against Republic of Ireland. (Mail on Sunday, print edition)

Rangers manager Stuart McCall could use veteran skipper Lee McCulloch as an emergency striker in their Scottish Premiership Play-off final second leg away to Motherwell on Sunday. (Sunday Mail)

MSP Chic Brodie is to ask the Scottish Government to demand that the country's ­senior football clubs show how they use public money for youth development following a report by Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People, Tam Baillie, that was highly critical of Club Academy Scotland, the pro-youth set up managed by the Scottish FA for clubs in membership of the Scottish Professional Football League. (Sunday Mail)

The Scottish FA has been forced to call in a dental expert to uncover the truth after Dundee winger Jim McAlister accused Dundee United striker Nadir Ciftci of biting him on the leg during the Tayside derby. (Sunday Mail, print edition)

Former Scottish FA president John McBeth - who was driven out of football for exposing Fifa as a dishonest, archaic organisation - has likened the sporting body to the Mafia and claims the current crop of corruption allegations are just the tip of the iceberg. (Sunday Post)

Inverness Caledonian Thistle manager John Hughes says he will break a self-imposed 10-year booze ban to celebrate after his side lifted the Scottish Cup for the first time. (Sunday Mail)

Falkirk midfielder Will Vaulks has criticised referee Willie Collum, claiming he missed a hand ball from Inverness Caledonian Thistle's Ross Draper during the Highland's side's 2-1 win in the Scottish Cup final. (Sun On Sunday)

John Hughes has expressed doubt that his exhausted Inverness Caledonian Thistle players, who were down to 10 men, would have won the Scottish Cup if the final against Falkirk had been forced into extra-time. (Sunday Herald)

Heerenveen's Kenny Otigba is quoted as saying he would welcome a move to Celtic

Scottish Cup winners Inverness Caledonian Thistle had a cheeky dig at the team they defeated in the semi-finals, saying on Twitter: "See Celtic - that's how you win a game with 10 men. Sorry", the Scottish champions having lost 3-2 after having a player sent off. (Sunday Mail)

Celtic target Kenny Otigba, the 22-year-old Heerenveen and Hungary Under-21 defender, says he would love to play for the Scottish champions. (Sun On Sunday, print edition)

West Ham United will wait a few more days to see whether they can convince outgoing Borussia Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp or Real Sociedad boss David Moyes to become their new manager before moving on to other candidates. (Sunday Telegraph)

Sir Alex Ferguson is canvassing for his son, Darren, to be given the manager's job at Sheffield United, whose first choice, Mark Warburton, who has been linked with Rangers, reluctant to accept the post after leaving Brentford with so many opportunities available to him. (Mail On Sunday)

Dundee United chairman Stephen Thompson insists that Jackie McNamara remains the right man to be their team manager despite a poor end to the Scottish Premiership season. (Sun On Sunday, print edition)

Defender Darren Dods, the 39-year-old who has spent two years with Forfar Athletic, is favourite to succeed Jimmy Nicholl as Cowdenbeath manager. (Scotland On Sunday, print edition)

OTHER GOSSIP

Record Scotland cap and leading wicket taker Majid Haq's return to competitive cricket proved to be a painful one after the player lost a tooth when he suffered a sickening blow to the face during Clydesdale's Western Union clash with Uddingston at Titwood. (Sunday Herald)

Shade Munro, who has been replaced as Glasgow Warriors forwards coach, is likely to accept the role of head coach to Scotland's women's team. (Scotland On Sunday, print edition)