DEILA CONFIDENT OF DESMOND BACKING

RONNY DEILA believes he has the full backing of Celtic majority shareholder Dermot Desmond.

The Irish businessman was in Malmo as the Hoops flopped out of the Champions League at the play-off stages.

Deila has confirmed that he has since spoken with Desmond and while that conversation will remain private, he reckons he has the trust of the board.

The Norwegian admitted: “I speak with him all the time. That’s what I do. I don’t want to go into detail what our conversation was about, but what I can say is he’s a very intelligent man who knows how to run businesses and football clubs.

“Honesty is the most important thing in whatever you are doing. No-one goes through life without doing good jobs and bad jobs.

“But the best players and people are learning all the time and get on. This club is in progress. That’s the only thing I am sure of.”

And Deila has also maintained that he will get Celtic into the Champions League, if he is given time.

He said: “I don’t think a very smart person is judging only on results. People who succeed in life judge progress in many ways.

“This club is one of the best-driven clubs in the world. We’re developing young players, we’re taking in players and developing them and selling them for a lot of money and we win so many titles in Scotland.

“If you want to be negative, you can have it in that way (judged on Champions League), but for me it’s much more than one thing.

“I think we’re going to be in the Champions League when I’m the manager. Now, I think, we are closer. Next year, hopefully, we get a new chance.”

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