TONEV WILL STAY AS CELTS MOVE ON
RONNY DEILA has revealed that Celtic have drawn a line under the Aleksandar Tonev racism row — and insisted the Bulgarian will see out his season-long loan at Parkhead. Tonev will tomorrow serve the second of a seven-game ban after his appeal against racially abusing Aberdeen defender Shay Logan was rejected earlier in the week. Deila had previously suggested that, in the event the appeal was lost, the club would take the matter ‘all the way’ — leading to speculation that the next step was the Court for Arbitration in Sport (CAS). But although Celtic still plan to ask the SFA to review the level of proof required to find Tonev guilty — namely the balance of probabilities — the Norwegian feels it is time to move on. ‘We are disappointed in the statement,’ Deila said. ‘It’s nothing new, it’s word against word. ‘I don’t say anyone is lying. I just said we need more proof. It’s a hard and harsh decision to take, to say someone is a racist. ‘It’s just in a word, that’s why we support him and believe him. ‘We know there is nothing next. We just have to cope with it and go on.’ Tonev won’t be available for selection until the trip to Dingwall on January 24 but Deila foresees the winger playing a central role in his team from that day onward. ‘He’s going to stay,’ he insisted. ‘We haven’t talked to them (Villa). Not me anyway. I don’t know if Peter (Lawwell) has. ‘It’s no problem to keep him for me. People can see behind things, that you need more proof than that to judge people.’ Meanwhile, Deila is preparing to sporadically rest some of his key players to prevent them burning out over the next year. The likes of Charlie Mulgew and Scott Brown won’t down tools for this season until after Scotland face Republic of Ireland on June 13. But mindful that pre-season training is likely to start around that date, Deila plans to follow Neil Lennon’s lead by giving some of his top performers mid-season breathers. ‘You have to think about the national-team players,’ he said. ‘If they play every game and we go through to both cup finals and do more in Europe, Broony, Charlie or Stefan (Johansen) will play in 70 games. Then you are on the edge of what people can handle.’ Deila also confirmed his squad will travel to Gran Canaria for an eight-day warm-weather training camp from January 6, with matches against Sparta Prague and PSV Eindhoven on the 10th and 13th respectively.
EVERTON midfielder Francisco Junior is training with Celtic ahead of the January transfer window. The 22-year-old former Benfica youth had a loan spell earlier this year at Stromsgodset when Celtic manager Deila was in charge of the Norwegian club.