Herald Sport
Cool Kerr nervous about walking out at Murrayfield
THERE are few individuals who look more cool, calm and collected when walking out into a packed stadium than Josh Kerr. Nerves are something that appear to rarely trouble Scotland’s greatest-ever middle-distance runner. Today, however, will be...
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RYAN JACK EXCLUSIVE
ATUESDAY night in May and Rangers are hosting Dundee in their last home league game of the season. After seven years, one league title, a Scottish Cup medal and a European final, Ryan Jack is preparing to say farewell to Ibrox. “I took along all my...
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Tipping the Scales
FOR Martin O’Neill, it has already been a hectic week. On Monday evening, he attended a meeting at Greenock Celtic Supporters’ Club alongside interim chairman Brian Wilson, chief executive Michael Nicholson, and chief financial officer Chris McKay....
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Pocognoli says grace period is over for Scotland
SEBASTIEN Pocognoli has told his Scotland players that their grace period is over following his maiden camp, and that they have to produce better displays and results when they take on North Macedonia and Switzerland to round off their Nations League...
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Bring the curtain Down Under?
JACK DEMPSEY has suggested he could bring down the curtain on his Scotland career after the Rugby World Cup next year. The Australian-born No.8, who switched international allegiances to represent Scotland after earning 14 caps for the Wallabies, said...
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Shaken and stirred
MARINK REEDIJK last night admitted that seeing Hibernian fans singing Sunshine on Leith inside Hampden following their Premier Sports Cup semi-final win over Hearts had caused his “ice king” public persona to crack. And Reedijk, whose team came from...
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Neil puts focus on winning semi ahead of trophy talk
DON’T get too up with the highs nor too down when the inevitable lows hit. For Dan Neil, life at Rangers has already featured allencompassing emotion at either end of the scale. From a stodgy start to a dream Old Firm debut capped by two goals, this...
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In Fernandez we trust
DEREK McInnes admits he has decisions to make all over his starting 11 on Saturday, but issued a strong defence of Manny Fernandez following recent form. Rangers drew 2-2 at Tynecastle on Wednesday night on McInnes’s return to Gorgie. Olwethu Makhayna...
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Makhanya silences Gorgie
PANTOMIME villain Derek McInnes came back to Tynecastle, and for a time, looked to be leading his Rangers side to an early statement win in the title marathon. But oh no he wasn’t. The hostile atmosphere that greeted the former Hearts manager in Gorgie...
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Bring the noise
WOUTER VRANCKEN has revealed Hearts will not be welcoming back any injured players to his squad for tonight’s meeting with Rangers – with Harry Milne out for the season. The head coach had hoped Stuart Findlay might make a return to the squad after...
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AIDEN McGEADY Tounekti is running out of time to find the confidence he needs to thrive at Celtic
ROGERS MATO admitted he would not have slept had he known the night before that he was going to spend his evening trying to stop Mo Salah. The Hearts attacker was fielded in an unfamiliar left-back role on Thursday night as Wouter Vrancken’s injury-hit...
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Vrancken rues more injuries as Gorgie men do themselves proud in Turkey defeat
HEART of Midlothian suffered their second defeat on the bounce, going down 2-0 to Trabzonspor in the Conference League. It was a marked improvement from Celtic Park, however, as the visitors held their own for large parts of the game. Trabzonspor took...
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Assistant says huge win over Hearts did not feel ‘seismic’
SHAUN MALONEY does not believe Celtic’s hammering of Hearts was a “seismic” moment in the season as he looks for more improvement. The Premiership champions suffered a sobering 4-1 Europa League defeat by Benfica in Lisbon last Thursday and they...
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SPFL clubs weigh up more televised games
SCOTTISH Premiership clubs are open to the idea of allowing broadcasters to show more top-flight games live. However, any attempt to bump up the current maximum of 60 games a season would require a substantial increase in the £30 million per annum...
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‘It’s like a mountain where you keep on building, and then eventually you reach the peak’
WHEN Jota left Jordi Altena on the deck with a simple swipe of his right leg in the 77th minute of Celtic’s chastening 7-1 victory over Hearts on Sunday, it signalled that the flamboyant Portuguese winger really was back from injury, and back to doing...
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DANIEL DUBOIS Boxer has Usyk in his sights after making short work of Wardley in London
DANIEL DUBOIS wants a trilogy fight with Oleksandr Usyk following his destructive coming-of-age victory over Fabio Wardley at The O2 Arena on Saturday. Dubois dominated their rematch from the moment he floored Wardley after just 17 seconds, and referee...
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Fernandez feels squad is pulling in the right direction
FOR Manny Fernandez, things are in a better place. Both individually and collectively, the 24-year-old’s form, and his team’s, shine far brighter than just a couple of months ago. The Nigeria internationalist struggled as Rangers limped through matches...
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BEN WHITE EXCLUSIVE Toulon scrum-half relishing his return to Scotland on revenge mission
AFTER a difficult start to the season, Toulon’s Scotland international Ben White is relishing the chance to return to Scotland today and face his international team-mates as the French side take on Edinburgh in round one of the Challenge Cup. White...
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Hearts’ record signing suffers another injury setback
HEARTS’ record signing Ageu has had his hopes of Conference League involvement dashed by yet another injury setback. After making his first start since February in Saturday’s 5-0 win over St Mirren, the Brazilian midfielder was set to be added to the...
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High five
S3COTLAND booked a play-off final against Sweden next month after a 3-2 win over Czechia last night in front of 6321 spectators at The Marbill Coaches Stadium. Goals from Lauren Davidson, Kathleen McGovern and Christy Grimshaw gave the Scots a 5-2...
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Scotland fans allowed alcohol in stands after 46-year wait
SCOTTISH FANS will be able to drink alcohol in the stands for the first time in over 40 years when the women’s national team face Czechia in their World Cup play-off tie tomorrow night. Melissa Andreatta’s side carry a 2-0 advantage into the...
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GRANT FORREST Scot pinching himself after sweeping to success in Spanish
EDINBURGH and Glasgow Warriors sit first and second in the United Rugby Championship, respectively, yet head into European competition this weekend with very different expectations. The capital club, which failed to qualify for the Champions Cup and...
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Remembering the revolution
‘THERE’S been seasons where I’ve played about seven different positions!’ Stephen Kingsley isn’t far wrong. Hearts fans have seen the 32-year-old play at left-back and right-back. Left centreback and right centre-back. A centreback in a back four and a...
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Prize guys McInnes and Makhanya pick up Premiership awards for September
THE words of encouragement, support and advice have always been welcomed by Derek McInnes. When Sir Alex Ferguson speaks, he listens. A message earlier this week came out of the blue. The following day, Sir Alex returned to Auchenhowie and spent time...
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GRAEME McGARRY
SEBASTIEN Pocognoli says that the short-term pain suffered by Scotland now can deliver long-term success for the national side, with the Belgian hoping the Tartan Army will look at the bigger picture rather than focusing on the disappointing home...
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Celtic manager bullish after brief period of reflection over future with Parkhead club
THERE will be no 20th club for Daniel Candeias and his playing career will not tick into a third decade. With so many years and so many sides behind him, the Portuguese has plenty of memories from which to choose as he reflects on his life and...
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‘Excitement makes you alive’: Pocognoli determined to give Tartan Army lift at Hampden
SEBASTIEN Pocognoli has urged his Scotland players to put on a Hampden show for the Tartan Army when they take on Slovenia tonight, after the damp squib that was his home bow as the new coach of the national side against Switzerland. Pocognoli had...
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Robertson vows to reach more finals with Scotland
ANDY ROBERTSON has stressed he wants to play in more tournament finals with Scotland despite reaching 100 caps – and expressed hope the exciting brand of attacking football new manager Sebastien Pocognoli has introduced can get them there. Robertson,...
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Boss trusts the process ahead of
THERE have been a few tension-filled, high-pressure, must-win Scotland matches since Andy Robertson came on to replace Barry Bannan in the 67th minute of a friendly against Poland in the National Stadium in Warsaw way back on March 5, 2014. So...
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Winger will play bounce game after lengthy lay-off
JOTA is set to witness his first Celtic action in 18 months during a specially-arranged Lennoxtown bounce game. The Parkhead club have fixed up a match behind closed doors against Premiership Falkirk at Lennoxtown tomorrow. Sidelined since April last...
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Early dismissal leaves Scots with
I 0 3T would have been tough enough for Sebastien Pocognoli to record a victory over World Cup quarterfinalists Switzerland in his first game as Scotland manager at Hampden with a full complement of players on the park. Triumphing in the Nations...
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Plenty of positivity from first week on
WHEN asked to spend a week soaking up the late September sunshine of mainland Europe following Scotland from Spain to Slovenia, reporting back on the fledgling days of Sebastien Pocognoli’s reign as manager, sometimes your duty as a journalist – nay,...
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‘You can be excited for the future but respect the past’
Robertson ready to ‘take the handbrake off’ under Pocognoli IT is no secret that Andy Robertson, along with a cohort of Scotland stalwarts, were devoted to Steve Clarke. But that does not mean that the national team captain is resistant to change. In...
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Ure ready to lead line for Scotland in new-look side
GRAEME McGARRY ROBBIE URE is confident that he can be the man to solve the problem striking position for Scotland after earning his first call up to the senior squad under new national team head coach Sebastien Pocognoli. Ure is currently finding his...
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Fans’ group hit out at Parkhead hierarchy
ANTHONY BROWN A PROMINENT Celtic supporters group has expressed “anger” and “deep frustration at the continued mismanagement of the club” in the wake of poor recent results on and off the pitch. The Parkhead hierarchy were the subject of fan protests...
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New Scotland manager says squad are ‘all in’ as he looks to build on Clarke success
SEBASTIEN Pocognoli says that his players are “all in” as he bids to reshape the national side in his image, with the new Scotland head coach even having to cut a training session short to protect his men. The Belgian has taken his new-look squad to...
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Celtic boss weighing up his future after defeat
MARTIN O’NEILL says he will ‘genuinely reflect and see’ over the international break whether he feels he can come back and turn things around at Celtic. His side were beaten 1-0 by Rangers at Parkhead yesterday with Ryan Naderi’s first-half strike...
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Miller to channel Scotland call-up
WHEN Sebastien Pocognoli’s first Scotland squad announcement dropped, there was an expectation Calvin Miller’s name would be there following his start to life at Heart of Midlothian. The 28-year-old had continued the form that earned him a move from...
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Valakari responds to Hibs links
JACK HARRIS ST JOHNSTONE manager Simo Valakari has responded to being linked with the vacant Hibernian managerial role, following David Gray’s sacking on Wednesday night. Valakari has been touted as a potential successor to Gray, with John Potter set...
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O’Neill wants to see ‘big character’
CELTIC manager Martin O’Neill wants his players to show “big character” as they begin their Europa League campaign against Ferencvaros tonight. Beaten 3-0 by Rangers at Ibrox on Sunday, the visitors registered just one shot on target in a meek display...
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Defender set for call-up as Pocognoli prepares to name squad
DEFENDER Luke Graham will be one of the new faces in Sebastian Pocognoli’s first Scotland squad. And Sevilla’s £9 million striker Robbie Ure will lead a new-look strike force in the Nations League fixtures against Slovenia, Switzerland and North...
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Rangers look the Neil
RAMPANT Rangers blew a supine Celtic away to storm their way into the Premier Sports Cup semi-final, as Derek McInnes’ men claimed a thoroughly deserved win at Ibrox in the first Old Firm derby of the season. Rangers were the better side in every...
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Defender ‘down line’ on Ibrox exit
DEREK McInnes admits John Souttar is “down the line” with a deal to leave Rangers. The Rangers Review revealed yesterday the defender is set to clinch his Ibrox exit after four years at the club, with Greek side Aris Thessaloniki lining up the...
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Pocognoli assembles backroom staff
JOHN McGILL SCOTLAND head coach Sebastien Pocognoli has appointed two new assistants to work alongside Alan Irvine. Former Belgium assistant coach Luke Benstead and Cameron Campbell, Tottenham’s first-team individual development coach, will complete...
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Trust the process
Sports intelligence company who helped choose Pocognoli lay out the way forward for Scottish game. Pages 6-7
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Shankland facing three months on the sidelines after pulling up in win over Motherwell
LAWRENCE SHANKLAND faces around three months out of action after suffering a hamstring injury during the win over Motherwell on Saturday. The captain was forced off inside the opening minutes at Ibrox and was replaced by Ryan Naderi. The German went...
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Kerjota to the rescue as Hearts fight back
AFTER looking like they would drop points for most of the afternoon, Heart of Midlothian staged a late comeback to take all three points against Dundee. Sabah Kerjota’s first goal for the club, seven minutes into injury time, proved to be the winner...
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‘If your mood on a Sunday night depends on the result of an U-10s seven-a-side game then you’ve got a serious problem’
THERE was disappointment, unhappiness and no little anger when the Central Region FA announced that all Fun 4 matches in the Falkirk area had been cancelled last month due to a violent incident on the opening weekend of the new season. Parents of the...
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Rangers bring in deadline duo
RANGERS secured a double deadline-day deal for striker Kevin Kelsy and winger Badredine Bouanani. The Ibrox club confirmed the signing of 22-year-old Venezuelan forward Kelsy from Portland Timbers as the Scottish Premiership transfer deadline closed...
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New signings straight into the action in Celtic victory
CELTIC completed three loan signings before their 3-0 victory over Aberdeen last night – and included two of their new arrivals in their squad for the William Hill Premiership clash. Goalkeeper Sam Johnstone joined from Wolves and 18-year-old Chelsea...
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MARTIN McMILLAN STEPHEN McGOWAN
OLIVER Sorensen believes Celtic are getting him in the prime of his career after the Danish midfielder joined on a season-long loan from Parma. The 24-year-old earned a move to the Serie A club from Midtjylland last August, just days after helping the...
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Neil reveals Rangers squad had words over Euro blow
THE old cliche about not getting too high when you win or too low when you lose is easier said than done at a club like Rangers. In many cases, that balance is almost impossible to find. Dan Neil has discovered that for himself during the first few...
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Celtic keen on Palace midfielder Devenny
STEPHEN McGOWAN CELTIC have taken an interest in £6million-rated Crystal Palace midfielder Justin Devenny. A left-sided midfielder born in Irvine, the 22-year-old is also deployed as a left wingback by Northern Ireland, the birthplace of his...
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UEFA mull legal action against Infantino
UEFA is considering bringing criminal proceedings against FIFA president Gianni Infantino in Switzerland over his plan to sell shares in the World Cup to private investors. European football’s governing body took legal action in US courts on Thursday...
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Vrancken hails players’ character
WOUTER VRANCKEN hailed his Hearts players for their character, saying they “so f ****** deserved” their qualification for the league phase of the Conference League after defeating Rapid Vienna on penalties in the play-off in a crazy game at the Allianz...
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Hearts get Williams deal over the line
JOEL SKED JJ WILLIAMS has become Heart of Midlothian’s 11th summer addition after the club confirmed the signing of the American striker for an undisclosed fee. The 28-year-old has signed a two-year deal, subject to international clearance and...
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Right back into the market
O’Neill wants another defender following Johnston injury blow.
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‘When you lose your son, it hits you between the eyes’
ANYONE unfortunate enough to be drawn against Terry Butcher in a game of “show us your medals” would surely accept defeat before the first hand was played. He has, after all, been there, done that and got the blood-stained shirt to show for...
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CRAIG FOWLER
Never mind the b ****** s, here’s the Dundee derby: Scotland’s best bout
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McInnes backs his captain to shine at Ibrox
MEL CAMERON MANAGER Derek McInnes described Lawrence Shankland as a “brilliant” captain who will have a “big influence” at Rangers whether or not he starts games. Shankland was skipper under McInnes at Hearts and followed his manager to Ibrox in the...
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Rangers closing in on deal for Nedeljkovic
RANGERS are close to finalising an agreement to sign Aston Villa defender Kosta Nedeljkovic on a loan deal, with an obligation to buy. It is understood that negotiations have progressed in recent days and the rightback will now make the move to...
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Pocognoli checks in
Stephen McGowan mulls over what the appointment means for the national team.
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Pocognoli takes Scotland job
SEBASTIEN Pocognoli has been confirmed as the new Scotland head coach. The former Union SaintGilloise and Monaco head coach has signed an initial two-year contract to succeed Steve Clarke. Pocognoli, a former Belgium international, led Union to the...
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Scottish rugby’s power list: The 25
FROM the corridors of power at Murrayfield to behind the scenes at Edinburgh Rugby and Glasgow Warriors and from coaches, referees and administrators, there are countless people helping determine the future of Scottish rugby. Some wield authority...
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Baur sets sights on silverware with Celtic
MIKA Baur signalled his intent to win trophies after joining Celtic from Paderborn. The 22-year-old German midfielder has joined on a four-year deal with the option of another year and is the latest addition to the Scottish champions, following the...
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Celtic closing in on Baur
CELTIC are set to complete a deal for German midfielder Mika Baur, writes Stephen McGowan. The German Under-21 international is expected in Glasgow to complete formalities and become Martin O’Neill’s fourth signing of the summer. The Scottish...
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