Deila hoping rhythm can be a Treble base

RONNY DEILA has urged Celtic to prove their Treble credentials by embarking on a long unbeaten run. Champions for the last three years, the Parkhead side have endured a stuttering start under the Norwegian, claiming only six victories f rom 14 competitive games.

However, emboldened by a convincing league Cup win over Championship leaders Hearts in midweek, Deila says it’s time for his side to start finding some rhythm.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Paisley to face struggling St Mirren, he said: ‘We want some momentum now. We want to win as many games in a row as possible.

‘The team are capable of winning 10 games in a row, or something like that, but I’m not saying we are definitely going to do it right now.

‘What I will say is that we are definitely going to win the league.

‘The goal is the Treble. In the cups, everything can happen, but we have to set high demands and high goals for ourselves. We will see in the end how that goes.

‘I felt more comfortable on Wednesday night. I felt like that was how I want to see my team play. Of course, there is more progress we can make but I think the structure is better defensively and we know it is going to be hard for other teams to beat us.’

The league Cup win brought a first clean sheet in nine games after Hearts striker Osman Sow blazed a penalty high over the crossbar early in the second half.

But Deila (below) sees his defence coming together and hopes to welcome back Adam Matthews, Charlie Mulgrew and Mikael lustig in the next month.

‘It was important to keep a clean sheet against Hearts,’ admitted the Celtic boss.’ Psychology is important in football. We hadn’t kept a clean sheet for a while, so that was key.

‘ There is a better balance in the team now. everything takes time and I have to keep s ayi ng t hat. I think you can see what we are after. You see quick reactions in defence, that we want 11 players to work better together and to be compact, with high pressure as well.

‘In the end, that will make us fitter and stronger. We will also have the ball more. Now we also have to develop a pattern of play so we can open up defences, like we did in the first half against Hearts.’

Denying rumours of unhappy players after a ropey start to the season saw the Parkhead side go out of the Champions league twice, the Norwegian i nsisted: ‘ I really l i ke the atmosphere in our dressing room. It’s been like that ever since I’ve been here. Some of the boys have been here years and they are good boys. They want to get good results for Celtic. ‘ You need a good environment. For the new signings, they have only been here three weeks — maybe two if you take the international break i nto account — so we need to breathe a bit and let them settle in.

‘It is vital to have social time wi t h the players but it’s not so easy with games all the time. I’d rather go to training than go paint- balling. But it’s important the environment is good when you come to training. It has to be fun and you have to enjoy being together.

‘When you are working so hard, it’s important to have a day off sometimes as well. So it’s very hard to push them but not push them too hard. Because I’m not a very patient guy. That’s how it is.

‘But things take time and the players need to breathe. So far, they have a good balance with that.’ Wakaso Mubarak could return to the starting line-up against St Mirren, while lustig and Matthews are back in training. Fears that Mulgrew, nursing a knee injury sustained with Scotland, may need to go under the knife have also been dismissed.

Deila, meanwhile, revealed leigh Griffiths is no closer to an emergency loan deal with Hibs after the easter Road club were told to pay his £10,000-a-week wages.

‘leigh is our player, so there is no decision to make,’ he said. ‘We talk almost every day. We have control of the situation and I want to keep him here.

‘In football, you never know. But right now, there is no offer and leigh still has a future with us.’