Scottish Gossip: Mystery over missing Sneijder, Collins dismisses Celtic's rivals

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Mystery surrounds the non-appearance of Dundee United midfielder Rodney Sneijder - brother of Wesley - prior to kick-off against Motherwell after the Dutchman had allegedly gone AWOL, but the Taysiders' official line on the midfielder's vanishing act was that he was back home in the Netherlands recovering from a virus. (Sunday Mail)

Dundee United manager Jackie McNamara says 24-year-old midfielder Rodney Sneijder, who signed a two-year contract a fortnight ago, has returned to the Netherlands for tests on a viral illness. (Mail On Sunday, print edition)

Everton will join Southampton, who have already bid £8m, in pursuit for 24-year-old Celtic defender Virgil van Dijk if their own centre-back, John Stones, leaves Goodison Park this summer. (Sunday People)

Partick Thistle forward Ryan Stevenson believes today will be his last chance to harass Virgil van Dijk because it's inevitable that the Dutch defender will leave for the English Premier League even if Celtic reach the Champions League group phase. (Scotland On Sunday)

Celtic assistant manager John Collins says their rivals in the Scottish Premiership don't have "clever enough players or quick enough thinkers to punish us". (Sunday Herald)

Dundee United say Rodney Sneijder missed out on Motherwell with a virus

Age Hareide, whose Malmo side face Celtic in Champions League qualifying, sought to impress upon Swedish journalists in May just what a super job he was doing there by saying Celtic were among the big hitters in similar-sized northern European leagues the Swedes were out-punching. (Scotland On Sunday)

Malmo head coach Age Hareide thinks Celtic have gone backwards in quality in the last 10 years. (Sun On Sunday, print edition)

Celtic defender Mikael Lustig highlights one-time Celtic target Nikola Djurdjic, the Serbian striker on loan from Augsburg, as Malmo's man to fear in their Champions League play-off. (Sunday Herald)

Malmo midfielder Jo Inge Berget wants to take revenge on fellow Norwegian Ronny Deila for sidelining him during his loan spell at Celtic from Cardiff City. (Sun On Sunday, print edition)

Rangers manager Mark Warburton has admitted he uses Twitter to spy on his players, insisting that it is for their own good as it would stop them from running into trouble with their training programmes. (Sunday Herald)

Summer signing Andy Halliday is particularly anxious for Hibernian's Scott Allan to secure a transfer to Rangers as he is the twin he never had - they re both 23, play in midfield, were born five weeks apart, lived five minutes apart, grew up close to and supporting the Ibrox club and went through every stage of development together. (Scotland On Sunday)

Hearts head coach Robbie Neilson says a talk-in among his players in the dressing-room inspired their second-half comeback to defeat Dundee at Dens Park. (Mail On Sunday, print edition)

Jo Inge Berget wants revenge on Celtic after failing to become a regular there on loan from Cardiff

Scotland midfielder Barry Bannan is among seven players Crystal Palace plan to sell as manager Alan Pardew looks to recoup funds after spending £40m in six months. (Sunday Mail, print edition)

Goals from his summer signings from Scotland, Gregg Wylde and Graham Carey, handed Derek Adams a winning start to his term as Plymouth Argyle manager away to Wimbledon. (Plymouth Herald)

Former Scotland defender Graham Alexander, who signed striker Declan McManus from Aberdeen this summer for Fleetwood Town, says many more players will quit the Scottish top flight for England's League One and Two for the higher wages on offer. (Sunday Mail, print edition)

Bury manager David Flitcroft hailed Doncaster Rovers counterpart Paul Dickov after the former Scotland striker ordered his side to concede a goal after taking the lead when Harry Forrester netted trying to kick the ball back to the opposition after an injury stoppage. (Sunday Mail)

Bilel Mohsni has been ordered to serve his seven-match ban in France - despite the former Rangers defender's claim he had already served four games before winning a contract with Ligue 1 club Angers after being released from Ibrox. (Sunday Mail)

OTHER GOSSIP

A £35m training fund is to go to 122 Scottish athletes to help them in their bid for gold in the Rio Olympics next year, the new funding from the UK government and the National Lottery being part of an ambitious attempt by British athletes to win more medals at the Olympics and Paralympics in Brazil than they did at the London Olympics in 2012. (Scotland On Sunday)

An attempt by Glasgow Hawks, seconded by Cartha Queens Park, to delay the implementation of proposed changes to the structure of youth and schools competitions until a full and proper consultation is undertaken was defeated at the Scottish Rugby Union annual meeting. (Scotland On Sunday)