Rumour Mill: Ronny Deila | Rangers fans anger over EGM

Celtic manager Ronny Deila is all smiles again. Picture: SNS

Ronny Deila has vowed to pay Celtic board back with a treble

Ronny Deila has vowed to payback the Celtic board with a Treble - having overcome sleepless nights worrying if the job was too big for him.

The Norwegian is desperate to hand all three pieces of domestic silverware to club hierarchy for their unswerving backing at a crucial point of the campaign.

Deila asked the board not to sell Kris Commons and Virgil van Dijk as well as pinpointing Stuart Armstrong and Gary Mackay-Steven as key captures during a crucial January window.

Celtic have delivered on all four counts and the manager now wants to say thanks in the perfect manner.

Deila said: “Repaying the board with trophies, that’s our goal.

“But again I repay them with working hard every day, sacrifice everything to get results.

“So we will pay each other if we win what we want to win.” (Daily Record)

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Rangers fans express anger over Ibrox board’s choice of venue

THE Rangers board has further enraged the club’s fans by choosing a London venue for the general meeting on 4 March that will decide their fate.

The four plc directors – James Easdale, David Somers, Barry Leach and Derek Llambias – set a Wednesday, 4 March date to deal with shareholder Dave King’s requisition to remove them and appoint himself, Paul Murray and John Gilligan, but they sprang a surprise by naming the Millennium Gloucester Hotel in Kensington as the venue.

King’s only other response to the statement was to highlight the venue. He wrote: “I think choosing London is to ensure that fans can’t attend. They are running scared!”

Fan groups railed against that decision. The Rangers First shareholder group announced plans to hold drop-in centres across Scotland and England to help small shareholders fill in proxy forms. The Sons of Struth group vowed to put on buses for supporters to travel to London and predicted a “significant attendance”. (Scotsman.com)

Controversial Indian tycoon looks to buy into Rangers

LALIT Modi, the man who masterminded the rise of cricket’s Indian Premier League is keen on buying a stake in Rangers.

Modi is reportedly eyeing a 26 per cent shareholding in the club, and his representatives had made contact with Sandy Easdale.

A statement from Modi read: “Glasgow Rangers FC is an institution in itself given the history and lineage of the club.

“I am looking at acquiring a stake in this Scottish institution, as I think the club is seriously undervalued.” (Scotsman)

However, doubts have been expressed by those surrounding the club after it was revealed the tycoon has convictions for drugs and kidnapping. (Daily Record)

Fraser Aird wants revenge against Celtic

Fraser Aird says he wants another crack at Celtic this year to give Rangers the chance to shove Scott Brown’s words down his throat. Aird said: “If players are saying that they are pretty much saying we were s***e on the day. But Brown can say what he wants because that’s his opinion. I would love another crack at Celtic. Definitely.” (Record)

Celtic are set to sign up new kit deal with New Balance

Celtic are on the verge of signing a new multi-million kit deal with American sportswear giant New Balance. New Balance are looking to break into the football market and challenge the like of Nike and Adidas. Any deal would end a decade long association with Nike. (Record)

European failure causes Celtic revenue decline

CELTIC have revealed a 30 per cent decrease in revenue and a reduction on profit before taxation of more than £14million, due in part to failing to qualify for the Champions League.

The club released the interim report for the six months to 31 December 2014 and, among key figures for the Scottish Premiership leaders, revenue decreased by 30.1 per cent to £31.3m, from £44.8m the previous year. (Scotsman.com)

Jackie McNamara says he knows who’ll fill team spaces

Disappointed as he was, in football terms, to lose the pair to Celtic at the beginning of the week, Jackie has remained relaxed about filling the hole they’ve left behind.

“As manager it’s my job to name the team and that’s what I’ll do,” he said.

“As I’ve said, losing Stuart and Gaz is a blow but it’s a chance for others in the dressing-room and I have faith in them.”

After his starring role as a sub in the League Cup semi win over Aberdeen, Ryan Dow is certain to get one of the berths, while Chris Erskine could take over from GMS.

Paul Dixon is set for a second United debut at left-back after returning to the club from Huddersfield. (Evening Telegraph)

Kenny Black leaves Motherwell

Kenny Black has been sacked as Motherwell assistant manager, the Fir Park side have announced.

The 51-year-old has been at Fir Park since 2011, but following Stuart McCall’s resignation in November he had been linked with the manager’s role before Ian Baraclough was appointed.

Black had agreed to assist Baraclough until the summer, but the Premiership side have decided to move Black on now. (Various)

Paul Hartley fancies cup upset against Celtic

Dundee manager Paul Hartley believes his side have every right to be confident of causing an upset in today’s Scottish Cup fifth round tie against Celtic at Dens Park.

The Dark Blues host Ronny Deila’s Premiership leaders in the televised tie of the round, with a place in the quarter-final up for grabs for the winners.

“Celtic are obviously the favourites but in the games against them so far this season we’ve run them close. We’ve given them two good games.” (Scotsman.com)

News in brief:

• Emmanuel Adebayor has been axed from the Spurs squad for today’s game with Arsenal. (Mirror)

• Tim Sherwood has moved closer to the QPR management job and will be in the stands for the game today. (Mirror)

• The first Rangers v Celtic game in three years attracted a domestic audience of just over one million people. (Record)

• Former Celtic striker Marc-Antoine Fortune will swap goal frames for picture frames - by becoming an art dealer. (Sun)