IN a lengthy and varied career, Gordon Smith has worn more hats than Lady Gaga on a world tour. He appeared at Hampden on Thursday afternoon in yet another role as a football ambassador for league title sponsors Ladbrokes where he was asked to hypothetically assume the mantle of one of his other previous positions: were he the chief executive of Hibernian just what would he do about this messy Scott Allan business?
His answer was fairly definitive. Hibs, he argued, were well within their rights to dig in their heels and deny their talented forward the transfer to Rangers he so badly craves. With the start of the league season just a week away, bending to the pressure and allowing one of their significant figures to move to their only real title rivals would be an act of capitulation. Even as a former Rangers player and erstwhile Ibrox director of football, he has no qualms about the stance Hibs have taken. Were he in Leeann Dempster’s shoes, he would do exactly the same thing.
“I would keep him at the club and I think they will,” said Smith. “Whether the price is right or not, you are dealing with one of your main rivals for the competition and, after saying he is not going, you would look bad if you then do sell him to your main rivals.
“Regardless of the [transfer] money [on offer], I’d still rather have the player playing for me. I don’t see why his attitude would be a problem because if you keep him, he still has to show that he’s got a good attitude and is doing the best for his club. Otherwise, other people might be looking at him and saying, “is this guy the type of person I want?”
“It’s about character in a football team and in that respect I believe that if Hibs keep him, he will be doing his best to show what he can do.”
Allan’s attempt to expedite his move along the M8 by handing in a formal transfer request has so far failed to have the desired effect. Given the way in which the whole charade has been played out in the public eye – with Alan Stubbs, in particular, having a regular say on the matter – Smith felt there was little need for Allan to try to up the ante but could understand why he had.
“Has he let himself down by asking away? A little bit. But football careers are short and if you have ambitions and things you want to do, I can see why you’d be driven by that. Hibs have helped his career but he also helped them last year to a great degree. He was their top player.”
Smith, at some time between ending his playing days and taking up his varied administrative roles, also worked as a football agent. Even if Allan were his client – hypothetically again – his stance on this matter would not alter.
“If I were his agent, I would be advising him that if the club isn’t going to sell him he is going to cause problems for himself by making it clear that he wants to go,” he added. “He would be better staying in the background saying “well, if Hibs sell me, I’m happy to go.”
“He shouldn’t be coming out publicly saying that he’s made a transfer request. I would have kept that quiet. I don’t think the transfer request was required. That’s telling all the supporters that he doesn’t want to be there. He didn’t have to do that.”
Should that scenario play out – and Hibs manage to spurn Rangers’ advances for the next four weeks – then the likely next move is Allan signing a pre-contract in January ahead of a move to Ibrox next summer. Smith, during his time as the Scottish Football Association’s chief executive, appealed to UEFA to outlaw mid-season Bosman arrangements between rival clubs but his idea fell on deaf ears.
”It’s one of the things I spoke about at UEFA meetings,” he said. “I didn’t think players should have been able to sign a pre-contract with teams who are in the same division. That was one of my ideas but UEFA rejected that. But I don’t feel it is right.
“If the two teams are fighting for the title and even if you’ve done nothing wrong, you’ll be accused of it anyway. I spoke to people at UEFA but they said they wouldn’t change the rules.”
Rangers remain firm favourites to win the Championship but, should Allan stay, Smith believes Hibs will run them close. Without him, he feels it is unlikely there will be a title party at Easter Road next May.
“If he stays I think they’ll challenge for the title,” he added. “I’m not sure they can win it but they’ll definitely be better and be up challenging for it. The games I saw last season, Allan was someone I picked out every time. He was outstanding - very creative and very good on the ball. If Hibs are going to do anything this year, they are going to need him.”
- For exclusive blogs, videos and more from Ladbrokes' Scottish football ambassadors go to ladbrokes.com/spfl.
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