Odada can still have Dundee Utd impact
Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin believes Richard Odada can still make an impact at Tannadice, despite the 24-year-old midfielder joining OFK Beograd on loan for the remainder of the season. (Courier - subscription), externalRead Saturday's Scottish gossip
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scotsman
43 minutes ago
- Scotsman
Two Serie A Scotland stars tipped for moves as £12m price-tag slapped on title winner
Uncapped defender fits system desired under new Juve manager Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Two of Scottish football's Italian contingent could be set for moves this summer in what could be a busy transfer window for Scots abroad. It was a hugely successful season for a number of Scottish players in Italy, with Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour winning Serie A with Napoli and Lewis Ferguson lifting the Coppa Italia with Bologna. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad However, down in the second tier of Italian football, there was another Scottish success story - with left-back Josh Doig playing a big part in Sassuolo winning Serie B and earning immediate promotion back to the top flight. Josh Doig helped Sassuolo win promotion back to Serie A this season. | Getty Images Doig has been a regular for Sassuolo this season after joining them from Hellas Verona 18 months ago, and now the 23-year-old is being linked with a move to Juventus. According to reports in Italy, new Juve manager Igor Tudor's transfer priority is new wing-backs and the Croatian coach has been impressed by Doig's development since moving to Italy from Hibs three years ago. Doig is currently with the Scotland squad ahead of their friendly away to Liechtenstein on Monday night and could win his first cap if selected in Vaduz. But his form with Sassuolo, where he has been one of their chief attacking outlets down the left flank, has caught the eye of Tudor, who is expected to play a 3-5-2 formation at Juventus next season. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Doig's price-tag He has also been linked with Bologna wing-back Dan Ddoye, who is also on international duty right now with Switzerland. And if Tudor was to launch a bid for Doig, it could cost Juventus upwards of £12 million to land him, as he contracted to Sassuolo until 2028. Doig came through the youth ranks at Hibs and was part of the team under Jack Ross that finished third in the Premiership during the 2020/21 campaign. He was sold to Verona in the summer of 2022 and then moved on Sassuolo, although he nearly signed for Marseille in France before the transfer fell apart at the last minute. Another former Hibs player could be on the move in Italy, with midfielder Liam Henderson weighing up his future after his contract at Empoli expired last month. A Celtic academy graduate, Henderson was part of the Hibs team that won the Scottish Cup in 2016. He made the move to Italy in 2018 with Bari and has remained there ever since, playing for Verona, Lecce, Palermo and Empoli. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Liam Henderson was relegated with Empoli. | Getty Images The Tuscan side were relegated to Serie B on the final day of last season, a sad end to Henderson's four years at the Stadio Carlo Castellani. It now appears, though, that the 29-year-old could be on his way back to British football. It has been reported that English Championship side Bristol City are weighing up a move for the out-of-contract deep-lying midfielder. Swansea City had also been suggested as a potential suitor, but cold water has been poured on that link by Welsh media outlets.
Scotsman
44 minutes ago
- Scotsman
Steve Clarke's Scotland holiday posers: crisis point, new appointment required and one big positive
Manager has much to ponder ahead of World Cup campaign Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... In a year's time, will Scotland be days away from making a return to the World Cup finals under restored national hero Steve Clarke? Or will they already be on some grim consolation tour of South America with a development squad under a caretaker manager after the withdrawal of several star players citing niggling tweaks and strains? The latter is too awful to contemplate. The former, meanwhile, represents a delirious fever dream to some, who fear Scotland have already peaked under Clarke. Their concerns will have been reinforced by the most recent international window where the Scots flopped badly against Iceland before winning a meaningless outing in the Alps against Liechtenstein at a canter. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scotland's next assignment under Steve Clarke will be the World Cup qualifiers in September. | SNS Group For others, though, some context ought to be applied. The Iceland result was a patently false one brought about by some very unfortunate circumstances. Already deprived of recent No 1 Craig Gordon, Clarke lost two goalkeepers between the warm-up and third minute of the match. Still, Clarke knows improvement is required. He admitted so himself in an interview following Monday's win in Vaduz. There were no goalkeeping issues in March and Greece – who are of course in Scotland's World Cup group - still swept their hosts aside at Hampden. There is much to occupy the manager's thoughts as he stretches out his toes in the sand in Torremolinos or wherever it is he is choosing to spend his summer break and contemplates what's sitting in his in-tray. How to solve a problem like Scottish goalkeepers? Jimmy Greaves would have a ball given Scotland's current predicament: 'What about those Jocko goalkeepers, then? Still up there giving us a laugh!' In a way, perhaps Friday's goalkeeping horror show, with poor Cieran Slicker cast as the fall guy, might prove a good thing in the long run - although no one is expecting Slicker to agree. Scotland's neglect in this area has been exposed in a pitiless light. The problem has been flagged up enough times, but it's now reached crisis point. Where are Scottish goalkeepers? Anyone aged around 16 showing any kind of talent for the position would be advised to get back out in the garden and start flinging themselves about the lawn: Your country needs you. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Goalkeeper Cieran Slicker had a debut to forget for Scotland. | SNS Group As for Slicker, he must now cope with a few weeks' break when what he really wants to do is get back out there. He and everyone else knows he should not have been put in the position he was on Friday. It was extraordinary - how often do teams lose one, let alone two goalkeepers in a single night? But it underlined the need to have three ready-to-play goalkeepers on hand. Clarke was already struggling to fill the gaps when he announced his squad with Craig Gordon and others unfit or else inactive at their clubs. It's a problem that needs to be solved for the benefit, Clarke said on Friday, 'of the next coach, and the next coach and the one after that'. More pressing, though, is the need to settle on a No.1. Will the 42-year-old Gordon start next season as first choice at Hearts? Will Gunn have found a new club – will he even be fit? It's a problem that, even when everyone is available, won't magically resolve itself. Back-room staff addition – geriatrics needs not apply Since Euro 2024, Clarke has now lost two trusted lieutenants in Austin MacPhee, last seen jumping around with Portugal as they celebrated lifting the Nations League, and John Carver, his sidekick for the last five years. It's perhaps surprising that Carver has chosen now to leave, with a World Cup on the horizon. But he knows this could be his last chance to have another shot as a manager in his own right, and it's not every day 60-year-olds are offered three-year contracts. It's something he deserves having led Lechia Gdansk to safety in the Polish top-flight from a very unpromising situation. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Long-serving Scotland assistant John Carver is leaving his role. | SNS Group Everyone surely wishes him well. Clarke will have seen this day coming and says he already has plenty of names in mind. Looking at the current backroom staff, even without sexagenarian Carver, it still looks a the mature side. As well as Clarke, who turns 62 in August, there's Alan Irvine (66) and Chris Woods (65). Currently available younger coaches include Tony Docherty, Steven Naismith (who's been involved before) and Robbie Neilson. It would be no surprise if Clarke turns to one of them ahead of September. Hirst among equals – the striking positive Perhaps the one area that is giving him less of a headache following these most recent games. Clarke has found a serious contender in George Hirst, who showed up well in both games against Iceland and Liechtenstein. He might have had a hat-trick in the former – he had a goal ruled out for offside and was denied by two good saves from Iceland 'keeper Elias Raffn Olafsson. He was also slightly off with a header that probably ought to have been buried. But he scored a good No 9's goal in Vaduz and looked the part. Of course, he will be playing Championship level football again with Ipswich Town by the time Scotland return to action but he's clearly benefitted from a season in the Premier League. George Hirst broke his Scotland duck in Vaduz. | SNS Group Clarke is a huge fan of Lyndon Dykes – he attributes some of the woes in Germany last summer to his absence. So it's probably not true to say Hirst has jumped ahead of Dykes, who has been out injured since February, in the queue. But there are at least three names, possibly four if you include Tommy Conway, in the equation to lead the line (Lawrence Shankland seems to have slipped off the radar completely). As it stands, it's hard to see past Che Adams in terms of obvious first choice, which has been the case for four years now – a reflection itself of too few realistic alternatives. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Robertson/Tierney conundrum rumbles on This is the football equivalent of long running diplomatic disputes that seem to bubble away in perpetuity while getting no nearer a satisfactory conclusion. Might it be taken out of Clarke's hands and be solved by a third party? What are Celtic's intentions for Tierney, whose return to Parkhead has just been confirmed? He has, after all, reached the 50-cap mark against Iceland, during which he perhaps predictably picked up a strain. Perhaps Brendan Rodgers will gently persuade Tierney that having made it into the SFA's Roll of Honour, it's time to focus solely on his club career. Celtic have, after all, made a huge financial commitment in handing the full-back a five-year deal and it's not uncommon for Parkhead players to quit international football in a bid to reduce the physical strain of competing on so many fronts. But the chance to qualify for a World Cup does not come round every year. Potentially, Scotland are just six games away from doing so. Now 28, Tierney will likely give it one more go which means the ball is back in Clarke's court. What to do with two left-backs, both of whom are amongst the best footballers in the squad?
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Celtic line up deal for a new winger as South American star labelled ‘the next Neymar' emerges as potential target
The Hoops jumped to the front of the queue to sign him WINGING IT Celtic line up deal for a new winger as South American star labelled 'the next Neymar' emerges as potential target CELTIC have reportedly expressed interest in signing a highly-rated South American international. The Celtic manager is on the hunt for more attackers this summer following Jota's lengthy lay-off as he also eyes another striker to compete with Daizen Maeda and Adam Idah. Advertisement 3 Rodgers is reportedly interested in signing a South American talent Credit: AFP 3 He faced Brazil in a World Cup qualifier at the weekend Credit: Getty 3 Current Celtic strikers Adam Idah and Daizen Maeda Credit: PA We told you this week how the Scottish champions are closing in on a deal for Fulham rising star Callum Osmand. It's understood Celtic have scouted the 19-year-old for some time and are set to land the out-of-contract ace for a compensation fee. And reports from South America suggest Celtic have also expressed interest in one of Ecuador's hottest properties. Studio Futbol claim the Hoops are one of the many clubs eyeing a deal for Anderlecht winger sensation Nilsun Angulo. Advertisement The 21-year-old, who's been capped three times for Ecuador, is believed to be attracting interest from top clubs across the globe. It's stated the skillful winger - who's been likened to Neymar - is expected to leave the Belgian club this summer amid the growing interest. Angulo moved to Europe in 2022 when he penned a five-year deal with Anderlecht. But he's set to call it a day at the Brussels club after only starting three league games last season. Advertisement He's currently on international duty for Ecuador and will make a decision on his future when he returns to Europe in the coming weeks. He started for his country against Brazil on Friday as they held Carlo Ancelotti's men to a 0-0 draw at the Estadio Monumental. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
