Scottish Gossip: Marvin Bartley, Ian Cathro, Kenny Miller, Mark McGhee

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Police are investigating alleged racist abuse of Hibernian midfielder Marvin Bartley on social media during his team's Scottish Cup derby win over Hearts on Wednesday. (Edinburgh Evening News)

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers was at Easter Road to watch the Edinburgh derby but admits it was a pity the match was not shown on TV because it clashed with Champions League matches. He says: "There were quality goals and good chances created in a brilliant atmosphere. I think if it was on TV it would have been a nice advert for Scottish football." (Daily Record)

Tynecastle head coach Ian Cathro has warned underperforming Hearts players that they will be shipped out of Tynecastle if they don't show the required fight and desire. (Edinburgh Evening News)

Manager Derek McInnes insists Aberdeen will ignore the problems for rivals Rangers and Hearts in the race for second place in the Premiership. The Dons are six points clear of Rangers, while the Jambos are 11 adrift in fourth. "If you start looking at what others are doing, regardless of whether they are doing well or not, then you can slip up," says McInnes. (Sun)

Gary Warren returns from suspension for Inverness Caley Thistle as Rangers visit on league business

Rangers striker Kenny Miller is encouraged that the club might recruit a director of football as well as a head coach, but feels that wholesale changes to the playing staff assembled by Mark Warburton could be counter-productive. (Herald)

Miller says he simply can't stop thinking about how he can help Rangers improve. The veteran striker says: "I can't switch off to how I'm thinking. I wish I could sometimes, get away from it. But it means a lot to me, I'm passionate about it. I'm constantly trying to think about what I can add to help make it better." (Daily Mail)

Brendan Rodgers calls on Scottish referees to provide greater protection for his Celtic players and claims the "horrendous" tackle by Motherwell substitute Ryan Bowman on Kieran Tierney could have ended the left back's career. (Herald)

Former Celtic manager Martin O'Neill doesn't think too much of the standard of the current Rangers team. He tells Talksport: "Rangers are not strong at all. In fact, honestly, it's possibly the poorest side I've ever known at Ibrox. For Celtic to stay strong, and be strong in Europe, then they need opposition there and they need it to come from Rangers in the next couple of seasons if that's at all possible." (Evening Times)

Ahead of the visit of Rangers on Friday evening, Inverness CT manager Richie Foran considers his team selection probably his "toughest decision" with captain Gary Warren, Brad McKay, Iain Vigurs and Billy King all available, but with Louis Laing, Jamie McCart and Larnell Cole all having impressed against Hearts in their last match when they were given the chance to shine. (Press and Journal)

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee vows to fight the "injustice" of the notice of complaint he has been served by the Scottish Football Association's compliance officer after he was sent to the stand during his side's recent defeat at Pittodrie. (National)

John Barclay captains Scotland after spending a few years on the international sidelines

McGhee admits the loss of centre-half Stephen McManus is a massive blow to Motherwell's top-six hopes. The former Scotland defender will have surgery on Tuesday to fix a groin problem and is expected to be out for up to six weeks. (Sun)

OTHER GOSSIP

John Barclay, Scotland's captain for the match against Wales at Murrayfield on Saturday, admits it was "a pretty depressing thought" that he might have won his last cap aged 27. He says of his time in the wilderness: "I was gutted about the situation. It was frustrating and disappointing for a couple of years. I thought maybe my time had been and gone. When I didn't make the 2015 Six Nations squad I thought that was probably it." (Daily Telegraph)

Barclay will become the eighth player to lead his country against Wales while playing for a Welsh club and only the second Scot, after Arthur Smith in 1960. (Guardian)