Extrovert would-be Socceroo poised to swap Scotland for A-League

Out of favour at the Dark Blues for disciplinary breaches, the extrovert striker was first linked with A-League's Mariners in December after a spat with Dundee coach James McPake appeared to signal his Dens Park exit.

At the time, Edinburgh-born Cummings - who has dual Scottish and Australian nationality - wasn’t sold on coming Down Under.

However, sources in Scotland have revealed that the 26-year-old ex-Hibernian, Nottingham Forest and Rangers front-runner has had a change of heart, and will head to Gosford during the January transfer window if Dundee - second bottom of the SPL - agree to release him.

One sticking point is a paucity of firepower at the club, with McPake keen to tee up a replacement before sanctioning Cummings’ exit.

Once on Graham Arnold’s watch list, Cummings has scored 11 goals in 29 games since joining Dundee a year ago from League One Shrewsbury Town.

He was back on the bench overnight as the Dees lost 2-0 to Livingston, after being frozen out for turning up “completely unfit” to train off the back of attending a gala show in Glasgow decked out as the Joker from Batman.

McPake didn’t see the funny side and swiftly banished him to training with the development squad.

Eligible for the Socceroos through Perth-born mother Tracey, Cummings played alongside Scottish-born Australia winger Martin Boyle at Easter Road, netting 55 goals in 114 appearances across four seasons.

Dundee are the seventh club in six years for Cummings, a Scottish Cup winner with Hibs in 2016.

The flamboyant forward idolises flawed genius Paul Gascoigne, and is a self confessed throwback to the ‘80s and ‘90s when football was awash with characters and lacked the rigid disciplines of the modern day.

He told this correspondent last year - “I think I was born in the wrong generation”.

But it’s his proven goalscoring ability that has attracted Mariners coach Nick Montgomery, as he seeks to cement the club’s position among the A-League pacesetters.

Though older brother Dean plays for NPL side Sorrento in Perth, Cummings has yet to venture to Australia but said last year “it would be brilliant” to one day try his luck here.

“I’ve got an Australian passport and I’m choking to get over there, even if I don’t get a call-up (for the national team),” he added.