JURY’S OUT ON DEILA BOYS
Dermot insists Celtic have improved since last year, but evidence shows that’s debatable
AS a man whose public utterances are regarded as collectors’ items, Celtic’ majority shareholder Dermot Desmond would have been acutely aware of the gravitas attached to every word of his dispatch from the Fife links this week.
The fact the Irish financier sought to rock no boats came as little surprise. Distant talk of a British League — soft soap to the masses — is a stock in trade in s uch circumstances, while some flattering remarks towards Ronny Deila made for an easy day’s work for the Celtic manager as his side prepared to face Fenerbahce.
‘We’re a better team than we were last year,’ said Desmond. ‘We’ve had a few tough matches. But we’re on a learning curve and I feel our squad is much better than it was last year and we’ll continue to i mprove. I’m confident in Ronny’s future at Celtic.’
Doubtless music to the Norwegian’s ears, but for a support which has watched Celtic slip and slide their way through much of the first two months of the season, they were moot points.
In terms of a direct comparison with this precise juncture of last season, Desmond might just have a valid argument. Nine games into this term, Celtic are three points better off than a year ago while, like last season, they have made a reasonable start to the Europa League.
Were the comparison to be made with the way Deila’s side finished last season, however, there is a less convincing case to be made.
In one sense, that should come as no surprise; Jozo Simunovic has only played one game since being bought as a direct replacement for Virgil van Dijk. Thus far, though, Dedryck Boyata has yet to prove himself a worthy successor to Jason Denayer.
Simunovic’s ongoing fitness issues saw Celtic face Fenerbahce with Boyata partnering Efe Ambrose and, while the pair actually began the game well, the Nigerian was twice culpable as the Turks came from behind to snatch an unlikely point.
Ahead of them, Nir Bitton and Scott Brown also excelled for long periods but, as in the home leg with Malmo, they briefly lost their way.
The same could be said of Stefan Johansen. The PFA Scotland player of the year looked back to his old self during the first half, only for unforced errors to latterly pockmark his display.
Of considerable comfort to Deila, though, were the displays of James Forrest, Leigh Griffiths and Euro debutant Kieran Tierney.
Apparently injury free at last, Forrest looks capable of putting a forgettable couple of years behind him. His assist for Kris Commons’ second on Thursday was indicative of his renewed confidence.
Griffiths , the scorer of the opener, has hit nine goals already this term — his strike rate slightly up on last season and his selection further confirmation of Deila’s belief that he can now play the sole striker’s role.
But whether such plus points are enough to suggest Celtic are moving forward at the desired rate of knots — or are indeed progressing at all — is open to interpretation.
In days of yore, Commons’ quite brilliant finish to put Celtic two goals up inside 33 minutes would have spread a sense of calm around Celtic Park. Not now.
Just as in the final moments of their play-off with Malmo and the latter stages of their opening group game in Amsterdam, the need for strong hearts and calm heads was lost. Desmond’s belief that significant strides are being taken appears to be wishful thinking.
‘In my opinion we need to be even braver on the ball,’ Deila said. ‘There is so much skill in this team but we don’t get it out on the pitch on the European stage because it’s quicker than in Scotland and the pressure is tough. But if we are going to develop top-class players, we need to play.’
If there’s an acceptance from all that a commitment to receiving and passing the ball under-intense pressure will inevitably produce errors, then no one could surely legislate for Ambrose’s implosion two minutes from half-time.
‘Sometimes it happens in football,’ said Johansen. ‘Efe had a bad header back and they’ve scored — that happens against quality players.
‘The supporters can say anything … but we will stay behind every player in this team. I thought Efe had a good game, except for a mistake.
‘It is not just his fault we lost these two points. We looked a bit afraid after they scored their second goal.’
Johansen’s last point has an air of familiarity to it after the games with Malmo and Ajax. It surely screams mental fragility.
‘I don’t think we struggled to be mentally strong,’ he countered. ‘You need to win here. That’s what the fans expect and to do that you need to be strong mentally. I think we are.’ If there are many who might take issue with that on the basis of recent results, there were still sufficient positives for Deila to cling to. At 18 and making just his fifth appearance at left-back, Tierney might well have wilted under the pressure. Instead, he outlined his credentials as the long-term successor to Emilio Izaguirre.
‘He has a big future because of two things — he i s gifted in terms of f i tness, speed and agility, and, secondly, he is unbelievably committed to being a top player,’ Deila explained. ‘ He learns quickly and he i s curious to learn all the time.’
Celtic were at their most potent down Tierney’s flank. Ahead of him, Forrest bobbed and weaved at pace, his confidence and positivity in sharp contrast to the half-fit, unconvincing figure witnessed so frequently in the past couple of years.
‘When have you seen him like that?’ Deila asked. ‘I haven’t seen him even near to what he is now. I said to you earlier he needs time because he was so long down injury wise and it takes time to get back again. Now he has been injury free for eight months.
‘Before, in the games he played he was giving me heartache because we didn’t see the intensity we needed to see. The development he has had over the l ast month has been tremendous. When he gets 100 per cent in training and in matches then we have a top, top player and he can do it at international level.
For all the disappointment at a two-goal lead being surrendered, Deila was right to be pleased with the way his side weathered the storm to finish on the front foot.
A return trip to his native Norway later this month to face surprise pacesetters Molde will provide many answers to the pertinent questions.