IT’S ALL OVER IF DONS WIN TITLE

Deila admits losing league will spell end of Celtic reign

RONNY DEILA last night admitted he is finished as Celtic manager if Aberdeen win the league.

The Parkhead boss is facing renewed calls for his head following a second Pittodrie defeat of the season on Wednesday night.

Now unbeaten in 11 games, the Dons narrowed the gap at the top of the SPFL Premiership to just three points, increasing pressure on the Norwegian.

So far, Celtic’s board have offered no indication they are set to pull the plug on Deila.

But the manager himself admits his position would become untenable if Aberdeen captured their first league championship since 1985.

Asked what the implications of losing the Premiership crown would be, Deila conceded: ‘That speaks for itself. Then my future is over here.

‘We have to win the league. That’s how it is and it’s just something you should expect from this team.’

Asked if he would tender his resignation before he was sacked, the under-fire Celtic boss added: ‘I wouldn’t see any reason to continue then, you know. Then I haven’t done my job, of course.’

Deila spoke with chief executive Peter Lawwell yesterday morning and believes he retains the support of the Parkhead board, rubbishing critics like former Celtic player Andy Walker, who

believes he is out of his depth. ‘That’s totally wrong,’ countered Deila. ‘I really believe I’m the right man for this club. ‘Everything is in our hands, we can win the league and that’s what we’re going to do. ‘If we don’t then, of course, that’s a failure — that’s how it is. We’re going to work hard to get into the Champions League next year.’ Insisting there is no cause for panic while the champions retain hope of a league and Scottish Cup double, he added: ‘Leadership is about being calm, especially in this type of situation. I don’t want to lose my head and be angry, it solves nothing. ‘You have to be respectful of people and talk honestly and I’ll continue to do that, but it’s hard to answer the same questions every three days when we talk about progress. ‘I’m not a magician, I need a little more time. The same answer will be there about my job in three days’ time. ‘You need to be patient as well but I understand the circumstances. I have to see it from the bigger perspective. You don’t die of it, this is football — though it feels like it sometimes. ‘I know the demands. We need to win the league, but I don’t win it by saying we have to win the league. ‘I have to find out how and we must return to the performances of two weeks ago when we were talking positively. ‘That’s the hard part with this job because it turns so quick and you can feel you have built momentum and — ping — things turn around again and we have to reorganise.’