Ronny Deila, the Celtic manager, has revealed that he has felt like a criminal in the aftermath of a turbulent fortnight at the Parkhead club.
The Norwegian has spoken candidly about the extent of his frustration as Celtic’s Treble ambitions were punctured by a League Cup defeat to Ross County at Hampden, a loss that was followed three days later by a second defeat of the season to Aberdeen at Pittodrie.
Subsequent results have enabled Derek McInnes’ side to move to joint top of the league with Celtic, albeit that Deila’s side have a superior goal difference in addition to a game-in-hand, but the recent performances and results when married to a woeful European campaign this season have seen the knives sharpened for the Celtic manager.
It has been for an intense period for Deila with criticism coming from former Celtic players as well as supporters and their wrath has not been lost on the affable Parkhead manager.
“It’s like you feel as though the police are standing outside your door in the morning, waiting to take you in because you done something criminal,” said Deila. “That’s how it feels. I know the players have the same feeling. It takes a day but then you have to get this away and look forward. Then you need to have fun when doing things. If you don’t, you will never improve.
“You don’t want to wake up at times. You just lie there. Sometimes you don’t sleep either, you just lie there thinking. But that’s why I am here. Because I really care and want to turn things around. The hardest part in life is when you don’t know what the answer is. But when you know the way forward you can do that. For me, it takes 48 hours to get the disappointment and reflection out of the body. I know exactly where we want to go.”
Celtic’s defeat to Ross County just under a fortnight ago coincided with a visit from Deila’s teenage daughters, Thale and Live, who were in Glasgow to see their father. They too joined in the chorus of disapproval, albeit for very different reasons.
“My kids said a good thing to me,” said Deila. “When we lost the semi-final [to Ross County], they were here. It wasn’t easy to try and look at them after that game. Then they said to me: We know how it is daddy. We talk together, but you don’t listen.
“That’s what it is like when you come home from a loss. You are thinking and you are not actually there. You feel the pain twice, but that’s how it is and that is what I have chosen. chose this life. I’ve done it for 20 years. It’s hell or heaven all of the time. That’s how football is. That’s why I have to try to deal with it, but it you don’t feel pain or happiness, then I think I would be very bored.”
Celtic will have an opportunity to exact some manner of atonement on Ross County for that League Cup defeat and Deila believes there are players in his squad prepared to take responsibility as Celtic attempt to hone in on the league title.
“We have something to prove,” he said. “We have something to bounce back from and we have to take with us the first 12 minutes when we were good before the red card. The biggest problem you have as a leader is if you think it’s only you who cares. It’s an easy thought to have when you are having problems and they are not playing as you want. You wonder where is their hunger, but I can assure you that’s not the case here. Every player feels the same way as I do and we want to bounce back on Saturday.”
Meanwhile, the Celtic manager has maintained that Scotland internationalist Charlie Mulgrew could yet be offered a contract extension from the club. The 29-year-old is free to leave the club this summer and there has been interest in his situation from south of the border with Blackburn Rovers and Bournemouth keeping tabs on him.
Celtic shelved contract talks with the player last year when he was injured and Deila has called upon Mulgrew to prove that he can stay injury free.
“I hope he stays injury-free for a period because he hasn’t played football for me in a long time. During my one-and-a-half years here, he’s had very few games.
“We need consistency of play, but we know Charlie is a very good footballer. He is a character and a person I really like. But without having him on the pitch, it’s difficult. Hopefully, he plays games, gets it and stays injury-free and at Celtic.
“A contract offer could happen, of course. Charlie is an important player and he is a professional and a leader who brings a lot of positive energy to the dressing room. But, again, without having him on the pitch, it’s more difficult. We want him to stay for a longer while without any setbacks.”
Celtic’s only injury issues ahead of tomorrow’s game at Celtic Park against Ross County are Jozo Simunovic and Saidy Janko.
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