Scottish Gossip: Barry Ferguson, Duncan Ferguson, Moussa Dembele, Six Nations

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Former Rangers captain Barry Ferguson insists he has not quit League Two Clyde in the hope of landing the caretaker job at Ibrox. He has been installed as bookies' favourite to take over from Graeme Murty at the helm of his old club. (Daily Record)

The 39-year-old had also been mentioned in some quarters as a potential candidate for a coaching role, in both a short and long-term capacity, but it's thought the club wants to move in a different direction. (Sun)

Rangers' director of football should be appointed in the next seven days. Thirty-four-year-old Ross Wilson, currently Southampton's director of scouting and recruitment, is reportedly the club's top choice for the role. (National)

Winger Sam Nicholson still believes Hearts are good enough to turn around their faltering fortunes but he says that the players have to dig deep to turn it around. (Scotsman)

Barry Ferguson commanded the Rangers midfield for many years but it is unclear whether he will return to Ibrox in a managerial or coaching role

Having equalled Duncan Ferguson's record of 60 Premier League goals for Everton, Romelu Lukaku says: "Duncan spoke to me in a way to keep me sharp and test me. Football is like that. You have to test yourself and put yourself through these moments if you want to improve." (Daily Mail)

Motherwell may be only three points above the relegation zone but pundit Michael Stewart thinks they will have enough to steer clear of the drop...and that manager Mark McGhee will leave in the summer. (Sun)

Cristian Gamboa believes 20-year-old Celtic team-mate Moussa Dembele, who has now scored 29 times for the club this season, can become a £50m Real Madrid player after witnessing his latest wonder goal at the weekend. (Daily Record)

Gamboa, the Celtic right back, claims that having a strong squad has been the secret to the Parkhead club's record-breaking unbeaten start to the domestic season. The 2-0 win over bottom-placed Hamilton on Saturday stretched their undefeated run to 32 games and extended their streak of league wins to 21. (Herald)

Hearts legend Gary Mackay is concerned at the turnover of players at Tynecastle. "It seems that our obsession with trying to unearth players to sell on for a profit has overtaken the need to get a team on the park that has spirit, a bond and a passion to play for the club," he argues. (Edinburgh Evening News)

Hearts players cut dejected figures at Firhill after their 2-0 defeat by Partick Thistle

Chelsea's N'Golo Kante has backed Dembele for a France debut next month. Les Bleus have World Cup qualifiers in Luxembourg and Sweden this spring, plus home friendlies with Spain and England. (Sun)

Rangers striker Martyn Waghorn thinks his team can catch Aberdeen and clinch second place in the Premiership, despite being nine points behind. "We have got to play Aberdeen again twice," he says. "We have got a big challenge ahead of us, but we know what we have got to do. It is going to be difficult, but we can turn it around." (Daily Express)

Former Rangers goalkeeper Cammy Bell claims that Mark Warburton was a poor man-manager who hated confrontation, refused to accept criticism and let the size of Rangers swallow him up. (Sun)

OTHER GOSSIP

As Scotland look ahead to playing England at Twickenham in the Six Nations in two weeks' time, they're aware that they have won there only twice since the Second World War. The last time Scotland triumphed at Twickenham, in 1983, the players discovered the England captain's hotel room number and ran a bar tab until 6am at the RFU's expense. (Daily Mail)

Tim Visser, one of Scotland's try-scorers in the win over Wales on Saturday, says: "Beating England at Twickenham would be the best result I've ever been involved in. I'm pretty sure it's like that for the rest of the guys, too." (Daily Express)

Concerns that Andy Murray might be pushing himself too hard in training have been heightened by the news that he contracted shingles on his return home from the Australian Open. Having recovered, he is in Dubai this week for his third tournament of the year. (Daily Telegraph)

The Pro12 play-offs look beyond Glasgow Warriors this season. After five successive years of semi-finals at least, Gregor Townsend's men are 12 points behind Scarlets in fourth place, seven behind Ulster in fifth and only four ahead of the chasing Cardiff Blues. (Scotsman)