RONNY Deila savoured Celtic’s fifth successive league championship and insisted his credentials have been enhanced during two often turbulent years in Scottish football. Celtic’s 3-1 victory over Hearts at Tynecastle maintained their nine-point advantage over second-placed Aberdeen and, with a vastly superior goal difference, the title is now all but arithmetically secured. Deila had said in advance that he would celebrate should his team defeat Hearts and he was true to his word after the victory was ecured through goals from Colin Kazim-Richards, Patrick Roberts and Leigh Griffiths.
“I feel happy, very happy, and proud as well,” he said. “It’s a tough job, especially in the circumstances of the past few weeks. But I’m so proud of the players. People always ask me if I have the confidence and belief of the players and whether I have lost the dressing room. And I knew I hadn’t. It showed today that it hasn't happened, that the players are standing behind me. Today they gave a fantastic performance so credit to them.
“I’m happy for them and to give something back to our fantastic supporters for being there all season. Five in a row doesn’t happen so many times so we have to enjoy it and I'm going to enjoy it tonight, I can assure you of that. I will take the staff out for something to eat – I’ll start with some beers and then take it from there.”
Deila will depart at the end of the season having decided he could no longer take the team forward having been disappointed with the lack of progress in recent months. He is yet to settle on his next destination but felt that winning two league titles – even when Celtic were strong favourites to do so – had made him a better manager.
“I won with a small club [Stromsgodset in Norway] and I won with a big club,” he added. “It’s different challenges. When you win with a small club everything is positive. Every time you kick the ball the right way it’s a positive. At Celtic if you win it’s nothing and if you lose it’s a disaster.So the pressure here is unbelievable. I am proud to be a part of this club. I said before, I am a Celtic fan and I always will be. This has been an unbelievable experience for me and it’s given me motivation now to become an even better manager.”
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