Deila just isn’t bothered by Aberdeen’s title challenge

CELTIC manager Ronny Deila has told Aberdeen that their title charge is of absolutely no concern to him. Derek McInnes’ side have torn up the record book with eight straight league wins at the outset of this campaign — and lead the champions by five points ahead of the Dons’ trip to face Inverness Caley Thistle tomorrow. But although the Norwegian acknowledges the spectacular start made by the men from the Granite City, he believes they won’t be able to live with a Celtic side firing on all cylinders. ‘We follow what they are doing, of course, but I know that if I get the best out of my team, we can be better than Aberdeen,’ said Deila yesterday. ‘We just have to focus on what

From Back Page we can do. I can’t do anything about Aberdeen and I don’t care either. ‘I want to win the league. It’s not about them — it’s about us. ‘I’m always into whether the team is doing well or getting better. ‘If we are doing that and getting results, then we will see how good the others are. ‘So I don’t care about what they are doing. I care about what I can do something with and that’s getting my team to be as good as possible. ‘We work really hard to confront the players on what they can do better.’ Two weeks ago, Deila stated that he would be deserving of the sack if his side failed to win what would be a fifth successive title. With the Dons undoubtedly improved from their strong showing last term and Hearts — who Celtic face at Parkhead tomorrow — also having started brightly, defending the title appears to be a harder task than winning it last season. Deila welcomes the stiffer competition his side are facing this term but declared himself to be relaxed that his team will again prove themselves to be the best in the land. ‘It is getting better and better and that’s a positive thing,’ he added. ‘But it’s still early to say. We will know better when we come to the end of the season. ‘Aberdeen have started very well and, if they continue that way, then we won’t make it because they will have won every game! We have to get better than them. ‘There will always be questions, that’s how it is. But I know it is about being focused on the long term. We have a lot of experience in doing that and we have a very strong team. That makes it very positive for everyone.’ New defender Jozo Simunovic is a doubt for Celtic’s first league game with the Gorgie side in two years after a minor ankle twist, although Scott Allan is back in contention. But Deila believes it could be a fortnight before both Stuart Armstrong and Charlie Mulgrew are fully fit again — putting a major question mark against the latter’s involvement in Scotland’s crucial double header with Poland and Gibraltar in the Euro 2016 qualifiers. ‘Charlie was out on the pitch again today but he didn’t train with the team. He will be back after the national team games,’ said the Celtic boss. ‘I think that is going to be tough (to make the Scotland double header).’