Celtic wobble dismissed, Rangers appeal hearing set, Scotland Euro 2024 warm-ups confirmed - Scottish football news

A round-up of the main stories doing the rounds in Scottish football this Monday evening

Rangers have appealed the red card shown to Jose Cifuentes for this challenge on Dundee's Amadou Bakayoko at Ibrox on Saturday. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)

Brown on Queen’s Park link

Scott Brown feels ready to return to management but the former Fleetwood boss insists he has not been contacted about the current vacancy at cinch Championship side Queen’s Park.

The 38-year-old former Celtic and Scotland captain has been out of work since being sacked in September by the Cod Army following 16 months at Highbury.

Brown has been touted as one of the front-runners for the Queen’s Park job after head coach Robin Veldman left in the wake of the 4-1 defeat by Inverness at the weekend.

“Being deadly honest, I’ve not spoken to Queen’s Park at all,” he said on Monday as he promoted Viaplay’s live and exclusive coverage of Sunday’s Viaplay Cup final between Rangers and Aberdeen.

Brown admitted he is keen to get back into the dugout following three months out of the game and is open-minded about where that will be.

“Yes, I’m starting to get itchy feet now,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed my time off, seeing the kids and chilling but now I’m starting to look forward to seeing what’s out there, seeing what’s about.

“I’m not in any real rush at this moment in time, with the festive period coming up, but I’ll start looking probably after the New Year.

“There’s no level that I wouldn’t speak to. I’ve not got a huge ego that would prevent me from speaking to Arbroath or anybody else like that. That’s not me, I’m open to anything at this moment in time.”

Cifuentes appeal hearing set

Rangers are set to find out on Tuesday if Jose Cifuentes will be available to play in Sunday’s Viaplay Cup final against Aberdeen after the Ibrox club appealed against the red card shown to the midfielder in Saturday’s victory over Dundee.

The Ecuadorian was initially booked by referee Kevin Clancy after appearing to catch Amadou Bakayoko late in a challenge midway through the Gers’ 3-1 win at the weekend, but he was then sent off following a VAR review.

The dismissal left Cifuentes staring at the prospect of being banned for Sunday’s Hampden showdown with the Dons. However, it emerged on Monday that the Ibrox club have lodged an appeal with the Scottish Football Association on the grounds of “wrongful dismissal”.

A fast-track tribunal hearing will take place on Tuesday in which Cifuentes will find out if he is able to play in the final as Rangers attempt to land their first silverware in more than 18 months.

The Ibrox club will be keen to see the 24-year-old’s red card overturned or downgraded as they are missing several players through injury, including midfielders Tom Lawrence, Nico Raskin and Ryan Jack.

McTominay on ‘toxic’ Man Utd

Scott McTominay says Manchester United’s players are “firmly behind” Erik ten Hag and that there is none of the toxicity seen under previous managers.

It has been a roller-coaster ride with more lows than highs since Sir Alex Ferguson retired after winning his 13th and final league crown in 2013.

United have not managed so much as a sustained Premier League title push since then, with Ten Hag the fifth permanent boss entrusted with taking the club back to the top.

The Dutchman is under scrutiny after Bournemouth condemned them to an 11th loss of the season and, having seen managers come and go, McTominay says the players are also accountable.

“It is the players’ responsibility, first and foremost – the players know that as well,” the United midfielder said.

“We have had many amazing players over the time, and I feel like now we’re at a stage we have big characters in the dressing room.

“It’s not just a case like with some of the other managers where it’s been a little bit toxic at times.

“The boys are firmly behind the manager, and that’s the be all and end all.”

Euro 2024 warm-up double-header

Scotland will meet the Netherlands and Northern Ireland in March friendlies next year as they step up preparations for Euro 2024.

Steve Clarke’s side will visit the Dutch on Friday, March 22, with the venue to be confirmed by the hosts in the near future.

Hampden will then host its first men’s international of the year when Northern Ireland visit on Tuesday, March 26, Scotland announced on Monday.

The Scots are in the process of arranging further friendlies in early June ahead of the showpiece tournament that gets under way in Germany later that month.

Scotland last faced the Dutch in June 2021 when they drew 2-2 in a friendly prior to the last European Championship, while their last meeting with Northern Ireland was a friendly at Hampden in 2015 when Christophe Berra secured a 1-0 win.

Celtic wobble dismissed

Scott Brown dismissed any notion that Celtic are wobbling after they gave title rivals Rangers a glimmer of hope by suffering their first cinch Premiership defeat of the season on Sunday.

The Hoops lost 2-1 away to Kilmarnock as their advantage at the top of the table was trimmed to five points by the resurgent Ibrox side, who also have a game in hand.

The two Glasgow heavyweights meet at Celtic Park in a game on 30 December, but former Bhoys captain Brown played down any worries that his old team are about to relinquish their hold on top spot.

“It’s only one game,” he stressed. “Everyone wants to turn it (the scrutiny) on Celtic now but there are a lot of strong characters in that dressing room, the manager is a strong character as well, so they know what they need to do.

“It’s about taking it game to game, not worrying about five games down the line when they’re going to play Rangers and what it’s going to be like then.

“As it stands, they’re five points clear at the top of the league and in a healthy position.”