Rumour Mill: Rangers rescue | Commons for Bolton?

RANGERS manager Ally McCoist wants Dave King and Mike Ashley to work together; Bolton manager Neil Lennon admits interest in Kris Commons; Ronny Deila backs Scott Brown’s withering assessment of team-mates after Hamilton loss, plus the rest of today’s news and gossip
Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow. Picture: Getty ImagesIbrox Stadium in Glasgow. Picture: Getty Images
Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow. Picture: Getty Images

Ronny Deila, the Celtic manager, yesterday backed captain Scott Brown’s damning assessment of his side’s performance against table-topping Hamilton Accies, accusing a number of his team-mates of hiding. Celtic lost 1-0 at Celtic Park to Alex Neil’s side, their first win at Parkhead for 76 years.

“I agreed with Scott,” he said yesterday. “Of course there is a lot of emotion when you lose like that and we were all angry and disappointed. That’s how it is and some of the things were true.

Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow. Picture: Getty ImagesIbrox Stadium in Glasgow. Picture: Getty Images
Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow. Picture: Getty Images
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“I understand. I have been a supporter myself,” he added. “We were going the right way so it was a hard hit to take. I did not see it coming.” (Scotsman)

Ally McCoist has called on Dave King, the Ibrox board and Mike Ashley to agree a compromise deal on the ownership of Rangers to finally end financial uncertainty and secure a solid future.

The Rangers manager believes it could be the perfect combination for former director King and Sports Direct owner Ashley to formulate a plan in which they could work together for the good of the club.

He said: “I’m delighted that now, for the first time, we have a serious opportunity of investment from a couple of areas. It has been well documented that Mike Ashley has increased his shareholding and it has been well documented there has been a series of meetings with Dave King’s team and the board.

“I would be extremely hopeful that a compromise and a deal can be done, involving all parties, and allowing us to move forward.” (Scotsman)

Neil Lennon wants Kris Commons at Bolton

Bolton manager Neil Lennon has indicated a desire to sign Kris Commons for the Championship club. Commons has featured intermittently for Ronny Deila since Lennon’s sudden departure in the summer, and the lure of regular football under his former boss could be seen as a tempting option for Commons.

Lennon said: “Kris scored 32 goals for me last year. Of course I would be interested in him, at the right price. But does Kris want to come here? I’ve never had that conversation. I would be pretty certain Celtic would be unwilling to let him go. A mong ago he was in talks with the club about extending his contract.” (Daily Record)

Scott Brown has described the current Scotland dressing room as the best he has known in an international career dating back to 2005, when he made his debut against the USA.

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Asked whether today’s Scotland team is the best he has played in, he agreed, adding: “It is the best dressing room I have been in as well. We used to have the old Rangers and Celtic thing and stuff like that, but it is a great place to be now and everyone is chirpy and chatting as well. You can sit beside anyone and there are no problems whatsoever. It is a good place to be.

“I wouldn’t say there were cliques, but it was weird when I first came in. You could see, automatically, that the Rangers players would sit beside Rangers players because they were best mates and Celtic would sit beside Celtic.” (Scotsman)

David Moyes seeks management return

Former Manchester United manager David Moyes believes the club failed to “do what was right” when they sacked him after less than 10 months.

The Scot’s succession to Sir Alex Ferguson’s trophy-laden years was an overwhelming disappointment as poor results blighted his short spell at Old Trafford, resulting in a seventh-place finish which was United’s worst of the Premier League era.

However, Moyes maintains the club should have had more faith in him.

“I got the job and I expected it to be a six-year plan. I signed a six-year contract... disappointed it didn’t go to plan,” he told the BBC.

“I expected to be given an opportunity to fulfil that and it wasn’t what was expected.

“It was really difficult when I lost the job initially because I didn’t really see it coming, even though I had been losing games.” (Scotsman)