Scottish Gossip: Celtic are lions, says Deila

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Dundee United midfielder John Rankin reckons the players owe manager Jackie McNamara a big performance against Celtic today. (Daily Record)

Dundee United chairman Stephen Thompson is on the verge of completing a £1.9m takeover of Australian A-League side Newcastle Jets. (Daily Record)

Former Celtic striker John Sutton thinks Malmo complaining about being wound-up at Parkhead is "embarrassing" for the Swedish side. (Daily Record)

And manager Ronny Deila has hit back at criticism from the Malmo goalkeeper saying his players are lions - not the "pigs" they were accused of being by Johan Wiland. (Various)

Hamilton summer signing Gramoz Kurtaj is pleasantly surprised by the standard of Scottish football, having thought it would be "aggressive with bulky forwards fighting for long balls". (Daily Record)

Manager Tommy Wright thinks his job at St Johnstone is getting harder as he bids to replicate previous successes without an uplift in home crowds or finances. (Daily Mail)

Rangers boss Mark Warburton, a boyhood Spurs fan, thinks the intensity surrounding Glasgow football far outstrips his experience of the North London derby with Arsenal. (Various)

Former Dundee United teenager Ryan Gauld may return to the UK after being told he can leave Sporting Lisbon on loan. (Sun)

Former Wimbledon hard man turned actor Vinnie Jones has agreed to play for Dunfermline side in a charity match against a team of Celtic old boys. (Sun)

OTHER GOSSIP

Andy Murray says he is tired and his "body hurts" ahead of tonight's Cincinatti Masters semi-final with Roger Federer. (Various)

Former skipper Andy Nicol thinks Scotland head coach Vern Cotter is right to keep his key players on the sidelines for the opening World Cup warm-up matches. (Daily Mail)

Edinburgh dented Romania's pre-World Cup confidence with a 31-16 friendly win at Melrose last night. (Various)

Full-back Peter Murchie will captain Glasgow Warriors for the opening weeks of the new season, with many of his team-mates are away at the World Cup. (Various)