Scottish Gossip: Winter break for 2016/17, Celtic fringe players to exit

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

The Scottish Professional Football League is exploring the possibility of reinstating a winter break, with insiders suggesting that it could be pushed through in time for the 2016-17 Premiership season. (Scotland On Sunday)

The Scottish Professional Football League is considering easing the physical demands on players by emulating most other leagues in northern Europe and shutting down for several weeks - probably in January - from season 2016-17. (Sunday Herald)

British football fans pay up to 10 times more for season tickets than those in Europe, with the cost of supporting many clubs in Scotland and England being significantly more than it is in many European countries including Spain, Germany and France. (Sunday Post)

Celtic manager Ronny Deila has revealed he tried to sign Dedryck Boyata from Manchester City last summer before taking Jason Denayer on loan from the English Premier League club. (Sunday Mail)

Manchester City have rejected an approach from Olympique Lyonnais for Jason Denayer after the 19-year-old impressed on loan with Celtic. (Sunday Mail, print edition)

Chris Turner has reportedly joined Hamilton Accies after leaving Dumbarton

Manager Ronny Deila has told players on the fringes of the Celtic squad to find another club as he begins trimming the group from its present 27 to around 21 or 22 players. (Scotland On Sunday)

Queens Park Rangers are keen on signing John Guidetti, who has left Manchester City after his year on loan to Celtic. (Sunday Mail, print edition)

Hamilton Academical have signed midfielder Chris Turner, the former Northern Ireland Under-21 international who has left Dumbarton. (Sun On Sunday, print edition)

Inverness Caledonian Thistle could sign former Newcastle United striker JJ Hooper after he scored in a 3-0 friendly win over Clachnacuddin, while another trialist, Jordan Roberts, formerly of Hartlepool United, also impressed. (Sun On Sunday, print edition)

Rangers are considering a move for midfielder Jason Holt after the 22-year-old's contract with Hearts expired this summer. (Sun On Sunday, print edition)

Defender Rob Kiernan says former Celtic defender Gary Caldwell, now manager of Wigan Athletic, encouraged him to sign for Rangers in last week's £200,000 transfer to resurrect his career after a loan spell with Birmingham City. (Sunday Mail, print edition)

Ross Wallace is reportedly about to join Sheffield Wednesday after leaving Burnley

Hibernian are giving a trial to former Raith Rovers central defender Paul Watson. (Sun On Sunday, print edition)

Hearts goalkeeper Neil Alexander has worked with Walter Smith at Rangers, Joe Royle at Ipswich Town, Lennie Lawrence and Dave Jones at Cardiff City and Ian Holloway 
at Crystal Palace but says Robbie Neilson is the best up-and-coming coach he has encountered. <link><caption>(Sunday Mail)</caption><url href="http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ive-worked-under-top-bosses-5959319" platform="highweb"/></link>

Sheffield Wednesday are to sign Scottish winger Ross Wallace, who has been released by Burnley. (Sunday Mirror, print edition)

Former Bolton Wanderers and Rangers winger Gregg Wylde, who has been released by St Mirren, is considering offers from Scottish clubs but wants to return to English football. (Sunday Mail, print edition)

OTHER GOSSIP

Andy Murray fears he may have only two years left at the top of tennis. (Sunday Mail, print edition)

On the eve of Wimbledon, Andy Murray has revealed that he is seeing a psychiatrist as he explores the workings of the mind to help him overcome past anxieties. (Sunday Mirror)

Responding to accusations of mismanagement, Cricket Scotland says it had no option but to send Majid Haq home from this year's World Cup as the spinner declined to offer an apology over accusations of racism made on Twitter after he was dropped from the team. (Scotland On Sunday)

Laura Muir believes she can one day break Kelly Holmes' British 1500m record and that she has proven her critics wrong after disappointment at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. (Sunday Times, print edition)

Jules Maxton, 35, has become only the second woman in Scotland to coach a men's senior first XV after being named head coach of Dalziel, who play in Scottish rugby's National League Three. (Sunday Herald)