Celtic will stand by me, says Ronny Deila

Ronny Deila reckons he can get it right in Europe. Picture: John Devlin

Another European inquest got under way after the Scottish champions were beaten 2-1 by Norwegian side Molde at Celtic Park on Thursday night to further damage Europa League hopes.

Celtic are bottom of Group A with two points from four games and need to beat Ajax at home and Fenerbahce away to reach the knockout stages.

Manager Deila has passed up on three chances to make the Champions League since taking over from Neil Lennon in 2014 – Celtic were reinstated in his first season before losing out on the play-off to Maribor – and there is an ongoing debate as to whether the Celtic board should give him another chance next season, in the likely event that they win the Ladbrokes Premiership again.

Lennon failed to reach the Champions League in his first two full seasons as manager before leading Celtic to the last 16 where they were knocked out by Juventus.

Ahead of the trip to Ross County in the Ladbrokes Premiership on Sunday, the Norwegian said: “When you see the history of this club they have had a manager before here who has struggled in Europe in the beginning and made it right.

“And they stand by their manager. That’s what I expect with me as well.

“I really want to be here. I love being here. I love the club and the fans, everything and I am really ambitious. And I am sorry, I assure you, I haven’t slept a lot last night but I see talent and progress in the team.

“I know we need to get better but we are still not out of the group.

“People can say it will be hard but it is possible. A victory against Ajax and we are suddenly into it again and we can do something in Turkey.”

Asked whether he had been given assurances by the Celtic board, he replied: “I feel quite comfortable in things but you never know in football.

“What we need is for things to go forward, that we have a whole club that believes in what we’re doing. I feel that and that is important.”

The former Stromsgodset boss presented his case for reaching the Champions League next season.

“I know what I’ve done in my past,” he said.

“I know all my teams have progressed. I know what I’m building, I know what I want and all the players know how we want to do it.

“I’ve seen managers before having time and then suddenly they make it and I’m going to do it as well, together with the players and the staff.”