Why Scottish managers should learn from Deila
Other Scottish managers would do well to emulate Ronny Deila’s approach
RONNY DEILA’S reaction to Dedryck Boyata’s ordering off during Celtic’s draw with Hamilton Academical on Friday night was as surprising as it was commendable.
The result at New Douglas Park was a bad one for a man who a fair few supporters of the Parkhead club would, after failures in the Champions League qualifying rounds, Europa League group stages and League Cup semifinal this season, like replaced.
A club such as Celtic should be beating opponents like Hamilton and beating them comfortably, regardless of the game being played on an artificial pitch away from home. Given their vastly superior resources, the dropped points were badly received.
That Aberdeen failed to take advantage of the opportunity which had unexpectedly been presented to them by beating St Johnstone at Pittodrie on Saturday and edging closer to the league leaders was fortunate for Deila.
But for some, the draw was further evidence that, despite Celtic leading the Ladbrokes Premiership and being in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup, the Norwegian lacks the necessary motivational qualities and tactical wherewithal required for his role.
Given the outcry among the Celtic fans and players when Boyata was red-carded by Craig Thomson shortly before half-time, Deila could very easily have tried to deflect attention from his side’s poor showing and the dropped points by focusing on the referee in his post-match comments.
Opinion about whether the Belgian centre-half should have been sent off was certainly sharply divided. Some observers were of the opinion the player was undeserving of a yellow card never mind a red one for his challenge.
On BT Sport, who were showing the game live, Chris Sutton was indignant and got himself embroiled in a right old stooshie with Stephen Craigan and Scott McDonald. “He does win the ball,” he said. “That’s the bottom line.”
So there was, to use a footballing analogy, an open goal for Deila to sidefoot the ball into. Criticise the decision, claim it unfairly disadvantaged his men, blame it for the final outcome, and the focus would have switched from his team on to the match official. It is, and has long been, a tried and tested ploy for many of those who occupy the dugout.
Followers of all clubs dislike referees and struggle to view their actions objectively – especially when their own side has suffered. They are inclined to agree when their manager comes out after a match and has a pop.
At Celtic, where an element of the support remains convinced their club has been and continues to be the victim of an institutional bias, a significant number invariably concur.
Yet Deila, to his great credit, watched a replay of the incident after the final whistle, backed Thomson’s decision and gave Boyata a public ticking off for needlessly attempting to tackle Carlton Morris in such a position. It is very hard to recall somebody in his position taking such a considered view.
Sutton hit out at Deila’s remarks in a newspaper yesterday, calling it “naïve” and “suicidal” to chastise his own player publicly. But that is an entirely different argument.
The fact that Deila resisted the temptation to lambast the referee in order to ease the pressure which is growing on him after a disappointing game was a measure of the man. More in his profession should follow his example.
Nobody involved in Scottish refereeing would deny that officials make mistakes. That would be difficult for them because there have been some pretty appalling high-profile blunders once again this season. But to blatantly target officials in a cynical bid to cover up shortcomings is wrong. To suggest that their errors are anything other than innocent is hugely damaging.
Clubs, not just managers, have been guilty of this in the past. After a 1-0 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox in the 2009/10 season, Celtic issued a statement on their official website which outlined their unhappiness with a series of rulings which had been made in Old Firm games that term.
It certainly went down well with their aggrieved fanbase. That their manager Tony Mowbray had been forced to field Thomas Rogne and Josh Thompson, who were both just 19, in the centre of his defence in such an important league game against his team’s main rivals away from home, however, was largely ignored.
Over the course of a long season any injustices that a club may have suffered at the hands of referees – have a tendency to level out.
The game here needs good referees to flourish. Harassing them unnecessarily for selfish reasons hinders their already difficult jobs and can spoil the spectacle on display. Adopting the sort of mature approach that Ronny Deila did on Friday evening would be helpful going forward.
TOMORROW Nick Rodger
Deila watched a replay and backed Thomson’s decision . . . It is very hard to recall somebody in his position taking such a considered view