Scottish Gossip: Motherwell to talk with Simo Valakari, Carlton Cole still in Celtic sights

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Motherwell will this week move to open talks with Simo Valakari as they step up their search for a new manager by asking his present club, SJK in Finland, for permission to talk to the former Fir Park midfielder. (The Sun, print edition)

Motherwell are preparing to start the interview process for their vacant manager's position with caretaker Stephen Craigan still not having put his name forward as one of the applicants. (The Herald)

Motherwell midfielder Josh Law wants a new manager appointed soon to avoid a second season struggling to avoid relegation. (Daily Mail, print edition)

Geoff Brown has warned his son Steve, who succeeded him as St Johnstone chairman, the Perth club will be powerless to keep Tommy Wright should the manager decide he wants to leave to fill the vacancy at Dundee United. (Daily Mail, print edition)

Carlton Cole could still win a contract with Celtic, according to the Daily Record

Carlton Cole still has a chance of winning a contract with Celtic despite the 31-year-old former West Ham United striker picking up an injury during his trial with the Scottish champions. (Daily Record, print edition)

Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk, who left Celtic for £11.5m this summer, has claimed he has learned more in five games at Southampton than he did in his whole two-year spell in Scotland. (Daily Record)

Artur Boruc thinks his former manager at Celtic, Gordon Strachan, deserves another contract with Scotland even if the goalkeeper's Poland side end the Scots' Euro 2016 qualification hopes on Thursday at Hampden Park. (The Scotsman)

Scotland winger Matt Ritchie has urged Gordon Strachan to extend his stay as international manager. (Daily Express)

Scotland's chances of pipping the Republic of Ireland to a Euro 2016 play-off place have been bolstered by news that Germany intend to go all-out for victory against the Republic of Ireland on Thursday night even though a point in Dublin would be enough for Joachim Loew's side to progress to next summer's finals in France. (The Herald)

Assistant boss Roy Keane delivered a classic one-liner as he insisted that striker Robbie Keane will be in the Republic of Ireland side against Germany despite becoming a father for the second time after the birth of his son, saying: "Unless he's breastfeeding, he should be all right." (Daily Record)

Virgil van Dijk (right) is reportedly saying he has learned more at Southampton already than at Celtic

Former Celtic and Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Pat Bonner thinks Scotland could yet consign second-top Poland to the unlikely role of armchair observers next year and grant both the Republic of Ireland and Gordon Strachan's side passage to the European Championship finals. (The Scotsman)

Scotland midfielder Robert Snodgrass is targeting a return to action with Hull City in November having dislocated his kneecap in August last year. (Daily Mirror, print edition)

Dundee are still waiting for the ankle injury picked up by Greg Stewart on Saturday to settle before knowing the extent of the striker's injury absence. (The Courier)

Rangers manager Mark Warburton is close to making back-room additions to improve his scouting network at Ibrox. (The Herald)

OTHER GOSSIP

Scotland fly-half Finn Russell looks to be winning his battle to be fit for Saturday's Rugby World Cup meeting with Samoa. (Daily Mail, print edition)

Alesana Tuilagi, one of Samoa's most experienced and influential players, has been suspended for five weeks for an act of foul play in his team's defeat by Japan, meaning the winger will miss Samoa's final Rugby World Cup match against Scotland on Saturday - unless he is successful with an appeal. (The Herald)

Having spent the final few years of his tenure as Scottish Football League chief executive dealing with administrations and then seeing the organisation dissolved, 50-year-old David Longmuir has been appointed by golfing governing body, the PGA, to explore sponsorship and commercial opportunities, initially focusing on Scotland and the north of England. (The Scotsman)