Manager Ronny Deila rounds on his and Celtic's critics
- Published
Celtic manager Ronny Deila highlighted the team's achievements in recent seasons
Ronny Deila has hit back at his and the team's critics, stressing he only cares about the opinions of those at Celtic.
The manager and his players were vilified for a poor performance in Molde last week, with former players questioning his tactics and the team's display.
Celtic have responded on the park with wins over Dundee United and Hearts.
"People can talk but we have to do it. Others can watch and can work in media, I want to work in football," he said.
"I have to think about the people inside this club.
"Celtic have been unbelievably successful for many years and everyone wants to hurt us and find negative things and that is something this club has to cope with all the time.
"What is important is that this club sticks together, Celtic fans and those who work for Celtic, and we have to be proud of what we have achieved.
"Four titles in a row in the league, we won the League Cup last year, the club has been in Europe for many years and they are the pride of Scotland in Europe. So many positive things are happening around here.
"And whoever is coming out and saying things about Celtic to put pressure on us, it doesn't affect me, but it motivates me a lot. Whatever other people are talking about, people who have never been at Celtic, I couldn't care less."
BBC Scotland's senior football reporter Chris McLaughlin |
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"A Celtic manager taking aim at his critics is nothing new - Neil Lennon, Gordon Strachan and Martin O'Neill often used pre-match media conferences to condemn those who dared comment on form, tactics or poor performance. So far, Ronny Deila has resisted. He has been measured and controlled in situations where others may have cracked. These comments are perhaps the first sign he may be feeling the pressure. The Celtic job comes with an expectation to win every game. With that expectation comes a pressure that only those who have gone before can understand. No more Mr Nice Guy? At the very least, the man with the roar is now baring his teeth." |
Focus on Celtic
Deila had recently expressed a sense of injustice about the lack of praise for success at Celtic, while failures, he felt, are magnified, particularly compared to other clubs.
"Where are Rangers now? They are in the Championship. When they lose against St Johnstone everything is OK. If that was 10 years ago, do you think it would be the same?" he added.
"When we lose one game, everything turns around against us. We don't use money we don't have but when you build things you have to be patient. But we are winning at the same time as well.
"Negative things sell well - you get more clicks - but we need to focus on the positive things.
"We are in the semi-final, we're going to play at Hampden, we're going to play against Ajax and Fenerbahce and Molde in the Europa League.
"Where are the other Scottish teams? I don't know. I haven't seen them in Europe. The national team is not in Europe either - they didn't go to the Euros."
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