Scottish Gossip: Michael O'Neill, Scotland, Tommy Wright, Niall McGinn

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has backed Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill to be a success with Scotland, who is the Scottish FA's preferred candidate to succeed Gordon Strachan. (Daily Express)

The Irish FA have decided to allow O'Neill to speak to the SFA after the latter made an official approach. (Daily Record)

O'Neill is not interested in the vacant Sunderland manager's job but former Rangers boss Ally McCoist is keen to be the next Black Cats boss. (Sun)

In demand: O'Neill is attracting interest after leading Northern Ireland to Euro 2016 and the World Cup play-offs

Celtic boss Rodgers believes St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright would be a good fit for the vacant Rangers job. (Daily Mail)

Rodgers also believes fellow Northern Irishman Wright is ideal for their country's national team, should O'Neill leave to take the Scotland job. (Daily Record)

Motherwell's Northern Irish manager Stephen Robinson says it would be an honour to be linked with his country's national job should O'Neill depart the post. (Herald)

Scotland may be invited to a 'World Cup of losers' event for countries that did not make Russia 2018, which is being proposed by USA. (Daily Mail)

Former Rangers captain Barry Ferguson is surprised at the timescale the Ibrox club are taking to appoint a new manager and insists they must go for Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes. (Daily Record)

Could Niall McGinn be returning to Scotland?

Frank de Boer, the former Ibrox defender recently sacked by Crystal Palace, has refused to rule out a return to Rangers. (Sun)

Building inspectors are due at Tynecastle on Friday morning to once again look over Hearts' main stand. (Scotsman, print edition)

And Hearts have set a deadline of close of play on Saturday for their new stand to be ready, or they will call Sunday's meeting with Partick Thistle off. (Sun)

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes wants to bring Niall McGinn back to Scotland after the forward quit Gwangju and will battle Hearts for the Northern Irishman's signature. (Sun)

Goalkeeper Dorus de Vries, 36, has signed a contract extension to stay with Celtic until 2019. (Scotsman)

Midfielder Eboue Kouassi is ready to show the Celtic fans his worth 11 months on from his £3m move from Krasnodar. (Sun)