Kenny Dalglish has given his backing to Ronny Deila, saying that the Celtic manager should be judged upon whether or not he wins the league title.
Deila has come under fire from some fans after being knocked out of the League Cup by Ross County and losing at Aberdeen in the league in the past week, but despite Celtic’s failure to win a treble and the close proximity of Derek McInnes’s side in the Premiership though, Celtic legend Dalglish thinks that Deila should keep his job if his side retain their crown as champions of Scotland.
He said: “I know that Celtic lost to Ross County and then to Aberdeen but they’re sitting top of the league so they haven’t done too badly have they?
“If he’s sitting at the top of the league then everyone else must be sitting with a rope around their neck.
“Celtic still have a game in hand and they’re entitled to lose a game so I think their resources are irrelevant. At the end of the day his priority is to win the league, although he obviously wouldn’t want to lose to Ross County.
“Every time I come up he seems to be getting the sack. There will be some Celtic fans not happy but there is not a manager working anywhere – apart from Barcelona maybe – where 100 per cent of the fans are happy.
“If the club thinks it’s right then they are ones that will make the decision. Obviously they will take everything into consideration – results, expectations and supporters feelings. And remember directors are fans too.
“I don’t know if winning the title is enough for Ronny Deila but if you are winning a title you are quite happy. Whether it keeps you your job or not I don’t know.
“There are other places where it doesn’t. Pep Guardiola went to Bayern Munich and the guy before him won three trophies and one was the Champions League.
“You know there is always expectation but if the Celtic board think he has done a good job then he won’t get the sack will he?
“Their goal difference is impressive. They have been scoring plenty and they don’t lose too many either.
“There is a style associated with Celtic but you are not always going to play like the Lisbon Lions. They were exceptional. It’s not at the level that it used to be but it doesn’t have to be.”
Kenny Dalglish was speaking at Cambusnethan Talbot FC to launch the 2016 McDonald’s and Scottish FA Grassroots Awards. To nominate a grassroots club or volunteer visit www.mcdonalds.co.uk/awards
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