CELTIC manager Brendan Rodgers has rule out the possibility of Celtic making any expensive marquee signings during the January transfer window, insisting that the club will not deviate from their business model. "I don’t think that’s how Celtic works," Rodgers said. "The model of the club is value and maximising that value and talent and development and see it grow at the club. The young players that have come in fit that model."
At the other side of Glasgow, Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has challenged summer signings Borna Barisic and Eros Grezda to prove their quality for Rangers in the second half of the season. Gerrard said: "There’s no doubt both have got quality. Borna has shown that regularly when he’s played but we haven’t had him fit enough so he needs to get more robust."
Rangers midfielder Scott Arfield says that last month's Old Firmn win has gicen his team-mates belief that they can go on to win the Premiership title. "For us in the dressing room, the belief has always been there and we want to be successful as soon as possible," he said. "It does amplify it when you get a result like that and it was a comfortable victory in the end."
And Arfield believes that the match was won and lost in the midfield at Ibrox. Arfield said: "You have to win [your individual battles] to win this game. If you look at the midfield three of me, Jacko and Ross [McCrorie], we won those battles and that is why we won the game."
Hibernian striker Oli Shaw says that his biggest inspiration in football isn't his father or his grandfather, both of whom played professionally, but former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry. "Henry’s pace and finishing made him the best for me," Shaw revealed. "He never tended to blast things, he placed things. He knew what he was doing and was composed in front of the goal."
Aberdeen striker Sam Cosgrove - who was awarded Scottish Premiership player of the month in December - says that his journey in football so far hasn't been an easy ride. Cosgrove said: "I’m one that’s not had it all their own way. Towards the end at Wigan I spent quite a bit out of time on loan in the non-leagues, which was quite an eye-opener. Not a lot of football takes place and it was a hard realisation for me."
The tennis world is still reeling from Andy Murray's announcement that he expects to retire from playing imminently due to an ongoing hip injury. The Herald's Stewart Fisher has written a tribute to the 31-year-old, who he calls "Scotland's modern-day sporting patron saint".
And middle-distance runner Laura Muir has described Murray as a "huge idol" for all Scottish sportspeople. Muir said: "No matter what he says we are all so proud of him, he has done so much not just for tennis but for Scottish sport. He is a huge idol for a lot of people, he is one of the figureheads for Scottish sport now and I am sure he still will be."
In an interview with the Daily Record, Hearts striker Steven Naismith has said that he thinks Scottish football is in the best shape it's been in for ten years.
New Hibrenian signing Ryan Gauld has told the Scotsman that he believes the Leith club are a perfect fit for him at this stage in his career.
And the Scottish Sun are reporting that Valencia have publicly backed their manager Marcelino, saying that they have no plans to replace their coach. Celtic face the Spanish side next month in the knockout stages of the Europa League.
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