Scottish Gossip: Celtic, Astana, Aberdeen, Maribor, Scott Allan

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Astana manager Stanimir Stoilov promises that his team will not follow Shakhter Karagandy's example at Celtic Park three seasons ago when they lost 3-0 in what he believes was too defensive a performance. With the tie against Celtic level at 1-1 from the first leg of their Champions League qualifier, Stoilov says his team will be more attack minded than Shakhter, (Various)

"Super-experienced" Kolo Toure could make his Celtic debut against Astana, with manager Brendan Rodgers saying selecting the player to start the game would not be a gamble. (National)

Rodgers says he did not quite appreciate the range of captain Scott Brown's tactical skills - meanwhile he insists 20-year-old French striker Moussa Dembele just needs time to settle in before he starts finding the back of the net. (Daily Record)

The Celtic boss claims striker Leigh Griffiths would be worth £15m if he had "a more Latino name". (Various)

Celtic midfielder Scott Allan will secure a loan move to Rotherham on Wednesday until the end of the season, with the English Championship club having the option to buy the player at the end of the loan period. (Various)

Scott Allan will be working with his former manager at Hibernian, Alan Stubbs

Hibernian have launched an appeal against manager Neil Lennon's five match ban by Uefa for "acts of violence" against Spanish referee Juan Martinez Munuera in the Europa League qualifier home leg against Brondby. (Various)

Aberdeen's Europa League opponents Maribor have suffered the terrible loss of two of their younger players in a car crash. Slovenian Damjan Marjanovic, 20, and Zoran Baljak, 21, were killed when their car hit traffic lights. Two other players were injured. (Various)

Former Aberdeen striker John Hewitt hopes that Adam Rooney can close the gap on his record as the Dons' second-top scorer in European football by scoring against Maribor on Thursday. Hewitt hit 12 goals in Europe, two fewer than Mark McGhee, while Rooney has scored nine times. (Daily Record)

Alloa chairman Mike Mulraney is to replace Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell on the full Scottish Football Association board. Lawwell was last month appointed as a director of the Scottish Professional Football League. (Times)

Dundee United captain Sean Dillon, who had the benefit of having signed a two-year contract, admits he feels fortunate to still be at the Tannadice club following their relegation from the top tier last season. (Sun)

Maribor defender Rodrigo Defendi expects yet more "high balls into the box" from Aberdeen in their return leg against the Slovenians. (Scotsman, Daily Record)

Sean Dillon's task is to lead Dundee United back to the Premiership

Inverness captain Gary Warren thinks manager Richie Foran was in effect "a gaffer" long before his appointment, such was his authority in the squad. (Daily Express)

Partick Thistle's Ghanaian-born midfielder Abdul Osman claims his manager Alan Archibald's achievements at Firhill have been "underestimated". (Scotsman)

Dundee's injured captain James McPake has been getting advice from Scotland midfielder Robert Snodgrass on how to deal with his fractured knee, a similar injury to that suffered by the Hull City player in 2014. (Herald, Daily Record)

Manager Peter Houston has urged Falkirk fans to be realistic about their ambitions in the Championship this season after doing so well to reach the Premiership play-off final last term. (Sun)

Dutch central defender Christian Supusepa has arrived at Tannadice for a trial, hoping to impress Dundee United boss Ray McKinnon. (Herald)