RONNY DEILA, the Celtic manager, welcomed the arrival of Scott Allan from Hibernian but revealed it may take time for the player to fit in with his team’s way of playing. Allan completed a four-year deal late on Friday night - ending Rangers’ protracted interest in the player - but did not play in the 4-2 home win over Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Deila was also coy on whether the 23 year-old would feature in Wednesday night’s Champions League qualifier against Malmo.
“I'm happy to get Scott,” said Deila. “We’ve been looking at him for a while now and he's a great talent. He has the ability to make the final pass and be creative in the last third of the pitch. That’s what we need more of in the team, and he will get better in our environment.
“I don't think he’s going to go straight in to the team - hardly anyone has done that. He has to show in training and get into our environment. He's a young talented player who needs to get used to what we do and get to the tempo. That’s obvious if you understand football. Scott Allan isn't going to come in here and be the king from the first minute, no-one is expecting that.”
Deila met with the player to ensure Allan would fit in with the rest of his squad. “I want to speak to every player who comes in before we sign them. I have to get to know him, they need the right personality, and that's the most important thing.”
Allan, who will wear squad number 19, was introduced to the crowd just prior to the kick-off and given a warm reception. If there had been any feelings of unease among the Celtic fans about the club signing a well-known Rangers supporter then they had clearly been usurped by a sense of schadenfreude at depriving their rivals of a player they so badly wanted themselves.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Allan of the move. “This is a great opportunity for me to play for a massive club and I will try my hardest. In football terms, to come here was a no-brainer. I can’t wait to get started.”
Stuart Armstrong, a one-time Dundee United team-mate, was also glad to be re-united with Allan. “It’s great for the club, another promising young Scottish player coming in,” he said. “I had two or three years playing in the youth team with him at Dundee United so I know him very well. He’s a really good player and it’s nice to have another friend in the team.”
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