FOR many observers, Ryan Gauld's decision to up sticks and move to Portugal to join Sporting Lisbon was a brave and adventurous break from the norm.

In the eyes of a former colleague from Dundee United, it made perfect sense and brought the slightest pang of envy.

A couple of years ago, Scott Allan was the biggest thing to come out of Tayside since the RRS Discovery. Having played just a handful of games at Tannadice and established himself as a Scotland under-21 internationalist, he became the subject of fierce interest from a number of clubs and eventually chose West Bromwich Albion as the place in which to further his career.

He left there under freedom of contract this summer to sign for Hibernian, having failed to appear in a single first-team game. Allan spent his time at The Hawthorns being farmed out on loan to Portsmouth, MK Dons and Birmingham City and clearly views his decision to follow the well-travelled path to English football as a mistake.

In hindsight, the midfielder believes that learning his trade in Europe would have served him better. Bearing in mind Gauld's highly technical style, he believes there is nowhere better for the 18-year-old to continue crafting his unquestionable skills.

"He is a few years younger than me but we all came through with the same youth coach, Graeme Liveston," recalled Allan, a comparative veteran at the ripe old age of 22. "He brought the likes of Johnny Russell and David Goodwillie through too.

"I know Gauldy well. He was there from the age of 10, the same as I was, and we went through the system. He is different class and going to a foreign club is the type of move I wish I had made instead of going to an English team.

"I think it suits the player I am and I think he has done the right thing going abroad and not choosing to go to England.

"In Portugal, the culture is to have players like that. Gauldy plays the way he has always played. He doesn't change his game for anyone. That is why people love watching him because you don't see a lot of that in Scotland anymore."

Allan remembers with some clarity the first time he set eyes on 'Baby Messi' in training at United and is not surprised that he has progressed to the senior Scotland squad so quickly.

"I had come back from a broken leg, so I went training with the youth team," recalled Allan. "I remember talking to Stevie Campbell, the youth team coach, and shaking my head because he was a step above everyone else even though he was so small. He had only just become full-time, but he is a step ahead of most players and he would play passes others just wouldn't see.

"I would have said back then he'd have the ability to go and play for Scotland easily. There are not many players who have that ability, but they don't always come through due to a lack of patience from coaches or just not being given the chance sometimes because of the style the team plays.

"He was given the platform to go and play. He is just a quiet boy who loves his football. It's as simple as that."

Allan refuses to call for Gauld's inclusion in the starting line-up for Saturday's Euro 2016 qualifying match with Georgia at Ibrox, particularly as the 18-year-old is still finding his feet in Sporting Lisbon's B team, but expects him to become a fixture in dark blue before long.

"It is still early to say he deserves to play at international level when you've got guys playing every week who are proven," said Allan. "Gauldy has not had that consistency, but, in time, I would be surprised if he doesn't play for Scotland."

Scott Allan was speaking at the launch of the Topps SPFL Match Attax Collection, which features all Scottish Premiership and Championship clubs. It is on sale now.