RONNY DEILA is known among some of Celtic's inner circle, although this is mentioned only in whispers, as ‘Peter’s Project.’

The Peter in question is, of course, chief executive Lawwell, the man who offered this unknown and relatively untested Norwegian the manager’s job, when originally he was going to be a coach, and who has supported him through the highs and lows of the last season and a half.

Lawwell is not exactly the fans’ favourite, at least not at the moment. Rightly or wrongly, the masses blame the club’s frugal policy on the failed European campaigns and the fact Aberdeen have 14 games to cut a three point gap and win the most unexpected of title wins.

If that happens, and why can’t it, Celtic would not even have Champions League place to go for this summer. That nightmare scenario is currently a hot topic behind the doors of Celtic Park.

It does feel as if Deila’s obituary has been written while he is still with us. Celtic could win the Double, he may well be kept on and then, in August, and at the third attempt, guide the club into group stages. This is all extremely achievable.

And the fact the manager believes his immediate boss has his back is not unimportant. Although what Dermot Desmond makes of all this is anyone’s guess. Deila is the only high profile figure at Celtic to speak publicly on a regular basis, which is unfair on him, and revealed he remained relaxed even if has found himself in a sticky spot.

“Peter has lots of experience and provides safety for a manager,” said Deila. "It’s so important that the board and everybody are working together. If there are going be conflicts then it’s harder to believe in what you are doing and stay on the right track.

“Everybody needs to feel trusted and loved. Every person needs that. That’s what the best organisations are doing right now.

"Peter is understanding of my situation all the time. He knows Celtic because he has been here so many years. He is very experienced and a very strong and intelligent man. We are honest with each other and that’s what’s important. That’s a positive.”

Top of the league, still in the Scottish Cup and with a young if misfiring squad, it is not, as Deila said on Wednesday night, as if his side face relegation and all hope has gone. But second place would feel almost as bad and, if that is how this season plays out, Desmond is likely to take charge of the situation.

“I am not the right man to talk about that, I am not on the board,” said Deila. “I have talked with Peter since Wednesday night. I also speak with Dermot often.

"He is an intelligent man as well and knows what business is about and how football works. We have conversations to understand what page we are on; how I am thinking, how he is thinking. That has been good all the time.”

Everyone, it seems, has an opinion on Deila and he knows that. A more honest man you will never meet in football, or life for that matter, so unlike say Tony Mowbray, he doesn’t pretend that some of the criticism, and this comes from supporters not the media, has not been justified.

“I think I have done very good things but there are things I could do better as well,” admitted Deila. “I think we have played some very good football here, we have scored a lot of goals. I think last season we had a run in this league where we conceded less than in the history of Scottish football.

“When we were playing in Europe last year we had some good games as well and did some good things. This year the qualification, up until the last Malmo game, was OK, something I can look myself in the mirror with. In the Europa League group stages there are things that we should have done better and that is the most irritating for me.

“Here, domestically, I think we have won a lot of games and we are looking to continue to get over 90 points. I don’t think that is a bad season. If you see the whole big picture there are a lot of positive things but I am the first one to say that there are things I could have done better. Who will not say that?”

Deila might say there are positive things but there was not a lot of positivity among the supporters after the defeat at Pittodrie, even with their team top by three points, which is all-but four given their far superior goal difference. He says people have been nice to him 99 per cent of the time when he’s met, which is no great surprise, them but doubts will persist.

“A lot of the expectation is about the Champions League, he admitted. “I believe that we can get into the Champions League and that is my task – win the league, get them back into the Champions League. I believe that is possible. It was very close this year, closer than the year before and that is the target – get in there next year.”

Will Deila get that opportunity? That is the million dollar question and it's only a certain billionaire who knows the answer.