Scottish Gossip: Mark Warburton, Dundee, Kilmarnock, Celtic

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Rangers boss Mark Warburton is a "top contender" for the managerial vacancy at Wigan Athletic, who have sacked Gary Caldwell. Wigan chairman David Sharpe is "a fan of the Ibrox manager". (Sun)

Warburton is a rival to sacked MK Dons boss Karl Robinson and Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs for the post at Wigan. (Daily Mail)

Warburton, responding to the booing by some Rangers fans as the full-time whistle at Ibrox ended their 1-1 draw with St Johnstone, says "it's part of playing for Rangers". He added: "It's a demanding crowd because they're used to success". (Times)

Canada's Fraser Aird "has demanded showdown talks" with the Rangers manager after his loan spell ended at Vancouver Whitecaps. "You need to have a plan for the future. I want to play," he said. (Daily Record)

Saints boss Tommy Wright felt his team could have taken all three points from the Premiership match but is satisfied that his Perth side stay above Rangers with the "positive result". (Various)

There was frustration at Ibrox for Rangers boss Mark Warburton and St Johnstone counterpart Tommy Wright

With his Dundee team searching for only their second league win of the season, manager Paul Hartley admits to being worried about the club's fate this season. "We are in trouble," was his stark assessment. (Times)

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers believes his team will be in great shape to take on Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Saturday after he rested eight first-team regulars for the 4-0 win over Ross County on Wednesday evening. (Various)

Aberdeen captain Graeme Shinnie believes the only way the Dons can make up for the surprise defeat by Hamilton on Tuesday is by beating Celtic. (Scotsman)

Accies skipper Mikey Devlin believes that the team's ability to hold on to their 1-0 lead against Aberdeen - after failing to do so in eight of the nine previous games when they had been ahead - can give the players "a massive psychological lift". (Daily Record)

"It's high, it's dangerous, it's reckless" - Staggies manager Jim McIntyre's description of Celtic goalkeeper Craig Gordon's tackle on County striker Liam Boyce. (Herald)

Despite being capped at Under-21 level by France, Celtic striker Moussa Dembele has been offered the chance to win his first full cap by Mali, where his family are from. (Sun)

Celtic keeper Craig Gordon challenges County striker Liam Boyce

Dembele was watched in Dingwall by a scout from Manchester United. (Daily Record, Daily Mail)

Celtic's Champions League opponents Borussia Monchengladbach face a run of four games in 11 days, forcing striker Andre Hahn to suggest that it's best that he and his team-mate spend two days in ice baths. Gladbach were without nine first-team players in their DFB Cup win over Stuttgart on Tuesday, then face Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday, Celtic on Tuesday followed by a trip to Hertha Berlin on 4 November. (Herald, Daily Record)

"Fact: Hampden is too big for semis and too small for finals", says the headline on an opinion piece on Scotland's national football stadium. (Scotsman)

Kilmarnock's 2-0 Premiership win over Hearts at Rugby Park on Wednesday brought some relief to the Killie fans who earlier in the day had read in the local paper that the club's "title sponsor" QTS is threatening to end its involvement in the club unless company secretary and former chairman Michael Johnston leaves. (Scotsman, Herald)

The FA in England's chief executive Martin Glenn has confirmed that they are pursuing Celtic's exciting 13-year-old talent Karamoko Dembele, who was born in London but who has been at school in Scotland. It is thought Dembele trained with England Under-15s at their St George's Park complex this week. (Various)

OTHER GOSSIP

Glasgow Warriors' European Champions Cup rivals Leicester Tigers have suffered a blow with the loss of Australia centre Matt Toomua to a cruciate ligament injury which will keep him out for the rest of the season. (Daily Mail)

Warriors head coach Gregor Townsend has enlisted the help of Scotland football favourite Kenny Dalglish to motivate his players. (Daily Mail)

Scotland and Warriors fly-half Finn Russell admits that he went into challenges in his comeback game against Ulster that he would not normally consider, just to convince himself that he had made a full recovery from a serious head knock in May. (Scotsman)