Pocognoli widens Scotland search as Kombouare eyes Pittodrie
Scotland head coach Sebastien Pocognoli is pursuing England-based Scotland-qualified players, while a former Aberdeen defender says he would take the Pittodrie job and Rangers weigh several squad decisions.
Scotland head coach Sebastien Pocognoli has stepped up efforts to persuade Scotland-qualified players based in England to commit to his side, naming Tottenham Hotspur defender Archie Gray, Everton midfielder Hayden Hackney and Newcastle United winger Harvey Barnes as targets, according to the Herald. In a separate message reported by the Record, Pocognoli urged Scottish Premiership clubs to give more homegrown players first-team opportunities, arguing too few are playing at the top level.
At Aberdeen, former centre-back Antoine Kombouare says he would cut short a month-long holiday in Mauritius to take over as Pittodrie boss, the Press & Journal reports. Kombouare stepped down as Paris FC head coach in the summer to complete his rehabilitation after knee surgery.
Mikey Moore's loan move from Tottenham to Cologne could end in January, with the Bundesliga club reportedly uninterested in making the arrangement permanent, according to TeamTalk. The 19-year-old winger, who spent last season on loan at Rangers, has said he wants to play for the Ibrox club again and claims to have watched nearly all their games since that spell ended, but Rangers are not yet pursuing a return.
Rangers are also reported not to be planning a January loan for 20-year-old midfielder Vanja Dragojevic, despite his limited game time, per Football Insider. Winger Oskar Fallenius, said to interest Rangers, told the Scotsman he called security on his own fans amid tensions over his expected January exit from Djurgardens.
Elsewhere, Zelejznicar Sarajevo insist Enes Alic remains their player as a legal dispute with St Johnstone continues over the 26-year-old left-back, whom the Scottish club maintain was a free agent when his previous employer failed to pay his wages, the Courier reports. West Ham United forward Daniel Cummings, capped by Scotland at under-19 level, is set to join National League side Aldershot Town on loan, while Celtic's Liam Scales topped a CIES Football Observatory study measuring the physical and tactical importance of centre-backs within their teams.
Image: The Courier / BBC Sport
