Scottish Gossip: Scotland, Cathro, Rangers, Caixinha, Moyes

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

The Scottish FA have sold just 5,000 tickets for Scotland's friendly with Canada at Easter Road on Wednesday. (Sunday Mail)

Scotland coach Gordon Strachan is unlikely to risk any of the Celtic players in his squad against Canada if they start for their club against Dundee on Sunday. (Sunday Post)

West Brom winger Matt Phillips has pulled out of the Scotland squad to face Canada and Slovenia due to a hamstring injury and club-mate James Morrison only has a chance of facing Slovenia, meaning Hearts' Jamie Walker and Aberdeen's Kenny McLean may get called up as replacements. (Sunday Mail)

Cap calls? Walker and McLean may make it into the Scotland squad

Falkirk midfielder Fraser Aird, who may feature at Easter Road on Wednesday, revealed it was the advice of his former coach at Rangers, Ian Durrant, that convinced him to elect to play for Canada rather than Scotland. "He was the one who said I had to make the right decision for myself, not for anyone else," Aird explained. (Sunday Herald)

Hearts head coach Ian Cathro insists it is entirely normal for director of football Craig Levein to come into his dressing room at half-time. (Sun)

And Cathro discussed Levein's input during the 2-0 defeat by Aberdeen after the match in an attempt to "stop some sort of directed hysteria". (Scotland on Sunday)

Rangers forward Martyn Waghorn, who scored a penalty in the Ibrox side's 4-0 win over Hamilton Academical, has urged new boss Pedro Caixinha to play him through the middle to get the best out of him. (Sunday Mail)

Waghorn has often been played wide on the right this season

Caixinha's squad will have a full week's training despite the international break, the Portuguese saying: "I do believe that players need to have this biological pattern." (Sunday Post)

Celtic assistant manager Chris Davies has tipped club captain Scott Brown to thrive as a manager. (Sunday Herald)

Left-back Kieran Tierney is open to following in the footsteps of Celtic and Scotland great Danny McGrain by switching flanks, the Celtic youngster saying: "I don't mind at all - I just need to start working on my right foot." (Sunday Mail)

Sunderland's Scottish manager David Moyes says owner Ellis Short's rare appearance at the Stadium of Light for Saturday's 0-0 draw with Burnley has no bearing on his future at the club. (Sunderland Echo)

RUGBY UNION

Vern Cotter described his spell as Scotland head coach as "fantastic" following his last match in charge, the 29-0 Six Nations defeat of Italy. (Daily Mail)