Scottish Gossip: Aberdeen, Celtic, Champions League, Rangers, Hibs, Hearts
Last updated on .From the section Football
FOOTBALL GOSSIP
Furious Derek McInnes blasted Caley Thistle's Ross Draper for buying a penalty in Aberdeen's damaging Premiership defeat to the Highlanders, and slammed referee Willie Collum for falling for it. (Daily Record)
McInnes accused Draper of cheating to win the penalty, and says the player has previous when it comes to diving to earn spot-kicks. (Daily Express)
Celtic captain Scott Brown has blasted a bid by Europe's top clubs to make the Champions League a closed shop, and has pleaded with Uefa not to bow to pressure from the likes of Bayern Munich chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. (Scottish Sun)
Brown says he would be "devastated" if the proposals are pushed through and feels "it's not really the Champions League anymore" if the champions of smaller countries are blocked from entering in favour of those finishing in the top four of bigger leagues. (The Scotsman)
Rangers manager Mark Warburton has branded as "dangerous" elitist plans put forward by Rummenigge to turn the Champions League into a self-perpetuating cartel for the nations with the five largest TV audiences. (The Times)
Harry van Raaij, the Dutchman who tried to launch the Atlantic League 16 years ago, has revealed secret talks are at an advanced stage to bring the proposal back to life. (Daily Record)
Norwegian prospect Kristoffer Ajer last night described a £500,000 move to Celtic as a dream come true. The 17-year-old will fly to Glasgow today to undergo a medical at Parkhead. (Daily Mail)
Dundee United manager Mixu Paatelainen insist his players have proved they are no longer a "soft touch". United are unbeaten in three matches ahead of tonight's basement clash with 11th placed Motherwell at Tannadice. (The Scotsman)
Rangers defender Rob Kiernan claims plastic pitches have no place in the Scottish game, saying they give an advantage to home teams who play regularly on synthetic surfaces. (Scottish Sun)
Kiernan says artificial pitches are a health and safety hazard after he suffered a leg gash on Falkirk's plastic pitch earlier this season which then became infected, leaving the defender laid low for three days. (Daily Record)
Ahead of tonight's Scottish Cup fifth round replay against Hearts, Hibernian midfielder Kevin Thomson has revealed that the then Jambos manager Gary Locke approached him about a move to Tynecastle back in 2014, and he considered making the move across Edinburgh. (Scottish Sun)
SFA performance director Brian McClair reckons Manchester United youngster Donald Love could be ready to make a swift leap on to the international stage with Scotland after makings his United debut on Saturday. (The Scotsman)
