RONNY DEILA last night accepted full responsibility for Celtic’s shock 3-1 defeat to Ross County in the League Cup semi-final yesterday – but insisted he was unconcerned about his position as manager being under threat.
Celtic, who were reduced to 10 men after 13 minutes when Efe Ambrose was shown a straight red card for a foul on Alex Shalk, were deservedly beaten by a superior County side at rain-soaked Hampden.
The painful loss ends the Parkhead club’s prospects of winning the domestic treble this season and increases pressure on Deila, who was heavily criticised by many supporters for his side’s performances in Europe this season, even further.
However, the Norwegian, whose side are six points clear in the Ladbrokes Premiership, stressed he was only looking forward to the league match against second-placed Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Wednesday evening and was confident he would remain in charge.
“It is my responsibility so I am very, very disappointed today and of course all the players are as well,” he said. “But what’s done is done.
“We have three days and then we go into another important game and we have to look forward to that. There is so much to play for. It’s very important we can really put a stamp on the lead and go nine points ahead.
“I am not worried. I have big ambitions and I am as disappointed as anybody else. Cups are tough – as you saw this year and last year. Things can happen in a game and again it happened again.
“We have gone out and that is disappointing, but we still have a lot to play for and I see a team who can be really good here. I am going to work really hard to get them to play the way we want. We have played a lot of good football over the last month.”
Asked if winning a Premiership and Scottish Cup double in the 2015/16 campaign would be enough to safeguard his job, he replied: “It depends how we develop the team. Two trophies isn’t bad, but this result is disappointing. Now we have to take this next game and do everything we can to beat Aberdeen.”
Deila felt that his keeper Craig Gordon had been fouled by an opposing player at the corner that led to County's second goal and was upset referee Craig Thomson allowed it to stand.
“In my opinion it’s a clear free-kick on Craig Gordon," he said. "He was taken out of the goal and couldn’t come back for it. Having said that, it was also poor defending, we got blocked out. But it should have been a clear free-kick to us."
Celtic are expected to unveil Patrick Roberts, the Manchester City and England Under-19 internationalist, as a new loan signing this week and are also in talks with Colin Kazim-Richards, the Feyenoord striker, about a temporary move to Glasgow.
Ahead of the close of the transfer window in Scotland at midnight tonight, Deila said: “We will see if we can strengthen. We are working and we will see tonight whether there is going to be something or not.”
Jim McIntyre, the Ross County manager, insisted his side can beat Hibs in the League Cup final at Hampden on March 13 after thrashing the holders and tournament favourites.
“Hibernian are a good side, but anything is possible in any one game,” he said. “We have shown this season that we always create chances. It’s the one thing that we’re very good at. Sometimes we bemoan our defending, but we are an attacking side and we’re really looking forward to the final.”
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