Friends and family respect it’s my call and stand by me
SAYS SCOTT ALLAN
BY OPTING to join Celtic, Scott Allan has dashed the hope of his oldest friend in f ootball. Andy Halliday’s vision of them being brothers in light blue will go unfulfilled.
Despite that disappointment, Allan revealed that best wishes were forthcoming after he broke the news to Halliday. From talk of being Rangers team-mates, there is now a desire to one day go head-tohead in an Old Firm encounter.
The two midfielders grew up in the same area on the south side of Glasgow, not far from Ibrox, and attended both the same nursery and primary school.
Halliday j oined his boyhood heroes this summer after impressing on trial. Speaking earlier this month, he spoke of a dear wish that Allan would follow, despite Hibs’ steadfast refusal to sell to their Championship rivals.
‘We were both Rangers fans, so we dreamed about it — luckily I’ve achieved it and, if it works out the way I want, hopefully he’ll join me,’ Halliday admitted.
What he had not foreseen was a move to the other side of Glasgow’s footballing divide. When Celtic stepped in late last week, it ended any possibility of Allan running down his time at Hibs to sign a pre-contract with Rangers.
The offer of a four-year deal at Parkhead was accepted after a cash-plus-player agreement was struck between the clubs. Halliday would likely have been one of the first to know.
‘He obviously needs to look after his own best interests and that’s what I’ve done,’ said Allan.
‘He’s been fine with me. He is someone I have known a long time and he will respect my decision as well. What did he say to me? He just said good luck.
‘Do I hope to be on the opposite side to him one day? That would be interesting, to be fair. I look forward to it.’
In terms of the Premiership at least, such a contest would have to wait until next season. By then, Allan’s place within the Celtic set-up will have become clearer.
Time and again at his official unveiling yesterday, Allan repeated that he had done what was right f or his career. That this was the right place for him to develop as a player.
He knows he will be the target of criticism, having disappointed Rangers fans who hoped ‘ one of their own’ could play a key role in the revival under Mark Warburton.
But Allan is adamant friends and family have understood why he felt the lure of potential Champions League football was too strong to resist.
‘I’ve had a lot of support,’ he said. ‘They respect my decision. That’s what your family is there for. They have been fine with me.
‘Were they surprised? Not really, no. They said they would support me in my footballing career because it wasn’t their decision. They stand by me.’
Had he ended up at Rangers, Allan would have been immediately installed as a key player. The same cannot be said of where he has actually arrived.
Ronny Deila is not short on talented midfield options. In the two central roles, Scott Brown and Nir Bitton are the established pairing.
In front of them, where Allan seems more likely to figure, Stefan Johansen, Kris Commons, Stuart Armstrong, James Forrest and Gary Mackay-Steven are among those already tussling for a place.
Leaving Dundee United for West Bromwich Albion as a 20-year-old saw Allan unable to make a first- team breakthrough and instead he was farmed out on loan.
While accepting he may need to be patient, he does not foresee any similar outcome as he seeks to make a mark at Celtic.
‘I believe in my own ability and the chance to train with better players is only going to make you a better player,’ he argued.
‘Most of my play is reading other people’s moves and picking my passes. Celtic have the quality here to allow me to do more of that.
‘I am older now and have learned a lot from my experiences down south. I took everything on board and wasn’t going to let this chance pass me by.
‘I’ve played with a couple of the lads here at Dundee United and their games have developed by coming here. Hopefully I can do the same.
‘I think the fact Stuart and Gary are here will help. They were good with me when I first came and I know James Forrest and Leigh Griffiths from Scotland Under-21s.
‘When you have that, then it is easy to settle in. It’s not like going into the unknown and they have all been brilliant with me.
‘The manager told me his plans for me when I spoke to him. I think he is the right man to progress my game. He just told me that if I have the work-rate in my game then the other side I’ve got is the easy part. He thinks I can become a much better player.
‘I’m definitely going to have to be patient. It’s a massive club. I just need to work hard, improve my game and, when I get my chance, take it.’
As well as seeking to quickly impress his new manager, Allan paid tribute to the one he has just left.
Despite the transfer request and the turmoil of recent weeks, he will always be grateful for the support Alan Stubbs provided at Hibs to enable his talent to flourish.
‘The transfer request was a big decision with the relationship I have with Alan Stubbs,’ Allan admitted. ‘But we’ve still had a lot of contact and I spoke to him before I signed for Celtic on Friday.
‘He has been brilliant with me. He understood my reasons and I understood their reasons for not being too happy about it.
‘But I had to take my career to the next level and I think this is the right place for me to progress.
‘I spoke to Alan about it and he said the same things that the manager here did. He told me to work hard but also it would be a different lifestyle away from football.
‘He was delighted for me. I have a lot to thank him for now I am sitting here. He gave me a platform to play and believed in me.
‘Some managers don’t want you to express yourself like he did. His man-management was brilliant with me.’
Andy Halliday has been fine with me. He just wished me good luck The transfer request was a big decision. Alan Stubbs gave me a platform and believed in me