The Rumour Mill: Wednesday’s football news and gossip

A sign of the times, perhaps, when Marvin Andrews is the latest former RANGERS player from whom today’s back pages are seeking comment on morale at Ibrox. Although the headline is rather unflattering (“Rangers will need to start praying”), at least the advice from Andrews to his old club seems well-intentioned. It comes in marked contrast to remarks reported by the Daily Express from Doncaster striker El-Hadji Diouf, who says that, beyond the Old Firm, the standard of the SPL is “Sunday morning league.”

Not all doom-and-gloom though: Daniel Cousin is being considered for a short-term return to add to the Ibrox side’s attacking options. Although the Gabon international expresses an interest in returning to France in the Daily Mail’s report, the Daily Record claim that talks have already taken place between the club and the player, with agent Willie McKay confirming the 35-year-old is keen on a return to Ibrox. Cousin turned in some notable performances for Gabon in the Africa Cup of Nations, and could feature for the club as soon as next week if talks go as planned.

While the Express speculate on free agents besides Cousin who could join Rangers (they mention Craig Beattie and Derek Riordan as potential targets), they also report on a player who Rangers have seemed keen to move on. Matt McKay, who was formerly Australia’s Player of the Year, has been denied a return to Brisbane Roar because his former club are unwilling to pay a fee. The 29-year-old has played only three games since joining the club in the summer. A more detailed report also appears in today’s Daily Mail.

Marian Kello called a surprise press conference yesterday to paint his employers in a less-than-favourable light as he confirmed that HEARTS had attempted to sell him during the transfer window to Austria Vienna. The Slovakian goalkeeper also denied claims he was engineering a move to SPL rivals Celtic, citing his belief that he would not be first-choice at Parkhead. Kello added that Hearts are punishing him for refusing the transfer to Austria Vienna, which would have earned Hearts £100,000. All of today’s back pages report this story.

The Record, The Sun and the Express report that long-term Rangers target Fran Sandaza has had “a weight lifted off his shoulders” as talk of a transfer away from McDiarmid Park has ceased, for the time being at least. The ST JOHNSTONE striker says: “It’s better for me that the transfer window is closed now. I don’t have to talk about any move or speculation.”

Finally, the Record reports on another player forced to leave Hearts, albeit on a more temporary basis. John Sutton has joined Australian side Central Coast Mariners until the end of the season, but Sutton remains keen to prove his worth upon his return to Tynecastle.