Another Day, More “Scott Allan Linked With Celtic” Nonsense

The Daily Record is today leading with another “Celtic In For Scott Allan” story.

This website has gone over this again and again and again, and it really bores me but in light of these “reports” I feel I have to.

We’ve just reintroduced Tom Rogic to the side, after a long absence.

We’ve been linked with a move for the Norwegian kid from Madrid.

We’ve welcomed back Liam Henderson from a very successful one season loan.

And we need a left back, one more central defender and a potent finisher far more than we need to stuff another midfielder into a squad already full of them.

We either believe this – against all evidence and logic – or we assume it’s something else.

To me this looks like a non-story in every way, and it’s probably worse than that; in my opinion it’s one designed to harm Celtic, because there’s no way that I can see this ends with him in a Hooped jersey.

At best, it will let the press write an article on how he’s snubbed us because he has his heart set on a move to Sevco.

At worst it will end with him in a Sevco shirt this time next year telling the world that he had a chance to go to Celtic but signed for them instead.

It’s an obvious piece of PR guff, with one of only two objectives; to make us look bad or to further ramp up the pressure on Hibs.

Because if they are willing to sell him to another Scottish club then it weakens their position when they say they won’t sell him to Sevco.

It will let the press paint Hibs as being hopelessly unreasonable and depriving the player of “his dream.”

This is like the Van Dijk nonsense the BBC was running yesterday.

“Talks ongoing but no bid made.”

A non issue.

But let’s say this story isn’t just media spin.

Let’s say it’s real.

I’m opposed to the move for all kinds of reasons.

First, I don’t think he’s good enough for a Celtic shirt, even as a squad player.

A decent enough footballer he may be but I’d rather we gave Liam Henderson a chance, or continued blooding Rogic.

Secondly, in light of how strong our midfield is I’d regard the signing as more about mischief making than squad building and that’s one Hell of a game to be playing with valuable resources – resources which could be put to far better use than rubbing Sevconian faces in it.

I would be furious if I thought we were spending £500,000 just to get one over on the Ibrox club.

That’s beyond petty and childish. It’s self defeating garbage.

Third and finally, I think this guy is a midfield Anthony Stokes.

He failed in England, and has found his level in Scottish football.

If we’re striving to be more than just the biggest club in this land we need to be looking for better than this.

You can judge his performances down there quite adequately by looking at the number of loan deals he went out on, and how few games he played for each team, and by doing a simple comparison with some of the other young Scot’s who made it recent years, like Scott Arfield, who’s playing for Burnley every week and doesn’t look out of place in their side.

The whole Scott Allan saga is boring.

Hibs have made their position plain; he won’t be sold to Sevco.

As an exercise in one-upsmanship this would be pretty weak in light of that.

As a team building move I can see no merit in it whatsoever.

Making a move for Allan can only lead to negative headlines.

And we get enough of those already.

I don’t believe for a second we’re interested in him …

And if I’m wrong and we are, someone’s going to have to explain the reasons why.

We ought to make a definitive statement and put this one to bed for good.