Stefan Johansen: Deila will handle Celtic pressure

Midfielder Johansen won the Norwegian league title under Deila at Stromsgodset in 2013 and feels the managers system will come good in Scotland too. Picture: Ian Georgeson

Norwegian international midfielder Johansen knows Deila better than anyone else connected with the Scottish champions, having previously worked under his compatriot at Stromsgodset in their homeland.

As he prepares for tomorrow night’s Europa League Group D fixture against Astra Giurgiu at Celtic Park, Johansen accepts that Deila has never before experienced the kind of intense scrutiny which surrounds his current position.

But his experience of the man who was both his manager and mentor in Norway leaves the 23-year-old in little doubt Deila will ultimately emerge as a hugely successful Celtic boss.

“He didn’t have the same pressure on him at Stromsgodset,” said Johansen. “But the way he has handled the pressure here since he came to Glasgow, he hasn’t shown any weak points.

“He’s strong mentally and he believes in what he does. I didn’t see that side of him at Stromsgodset because there wasn’t that pressure, but now when he has that pressure he has handled that well.

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“Could it break Ronny? No, I don’t think so. He is strong mentally, he believes in what he does and if he doesn’t succeed with that, he can be proud of trying. But I’m sure he’s going to succeed, so it’s not going to happen.

“He hasn’t changed, he believes in the football he wants to play and I’m starting to see that get better. I think he can have the same kind of success Neil Lennon had as manager here. Celtic also know that, otherwise he wouldn’t be here. Hopefully it will come that the fans know it as well.”

As they search for significant momentum under Deila in what has been an inconsistent start to his tenure so far, Celtic have the opportunity to take a firm grip of their prospects of further progress in the Europa League with a victory over Romanian Cup holders Astra. The top tier of Celtic Park will again be closed tomorrow night, limiting the stadium to a capacity of around 35,000, and Johansen admits he and his team-mates have work to do before supporters can be persuaded to turn out in maximum numbers again for a European night.

“When we lost at home to Hamilton in the league two weeks ago, everyone was saying things were so bad,” he said.

“But we’re still in both of the domestic cups, we are doing well in the Europa League and hopefully we can win the next two games home and away against Astra and basically get through.

“We cannot do anything more than win games and play good football. I don’t like it when half of the stadium is closed, I want it to be full, but it’s difficult because it’s not the Champions League.

“But if we get through to the later stages of the Europa League and we start to win matches then I think the fans will start to come back.

“Europe is where you are judged at this club. That is the type of pressure you have at Celtic and you’ve got to deal with it. I don’t think the players or the gaffer see that as a problem.

“Maybe it takes time for some players to get used to it.

“When you go to a club like Celtic you know the expectations, so you’ve just got to get used to it from day one.

“You know people are different but I don’t think it’s a problem with any of the players or staff here now.

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“It takes time, but the team is now starting to settle down and the players are now starting to get the best out of themselves. It’s been about the way we want to play and there were some details we needed to work on.

“Now you are starting to see a side which wants to get the ball up the park and create chances. We are starting to do that much better now. It’s starting to look better.”

In the absence of the injured Kris Commons, Johansen was deployed in a more advanced role in Dingwall and earned widespread plaudits for his contribution.

“I’ve done well for Norway as a defensive midfielder,” he said, “but it’s not that much different, other than I am higher up the park. I like to be on the ball a lot and the gaffer gives us that freedom. Kris is a great player but this is a team game and we played well without him on Saturday.”

Commons has been strongly linked with a January move to Bolton Wanderers following Neil Lennon’s appointment at the Championship strugglers but Johansen believes that would represent a major step down from Celtic.

“I would stay at Celtic,” he said. “England is England, of course, but to be at Celtic is to be at a fantastic club. I said when I came here that Celtic are one of Europe’s biggest clubs and I’m still saying that. So I would prefer Celtic to Bolton.

“When you talk about clubs such as Manchester United, you are talking about big clubs but Celtic are a huge club. It’s just rumours as Kris is enjoying life in Glasgow and he’s done well for the club and hopefully he will stay.

“Personally, I’m being completely honest when I say I haven’t yet thought about playing in England one day. I’m enjoying life here and it was a huge step for me to sign for Celtic and for such a huge club.

“You develop as a player when you play for these kind of fans and under this type of pressure. It makes you a more grown-up person mentally and it’s good.

“Everyone says the league in Scotland isn’t good enough. Compared to Norway, the Scottish league is much better although it’s not the English Premier League. But when you play away games it’s always tough here as people are fighting and everyone wants to beat Celtic. That’s tough enough.”