DESPITE THE CRISIS SUTTON BACKS DEILA

CHRIS SUTTON has backed Celtic boss Ronny Deila for taking a stance and having his say on recent over-the-top criticism.

Now the former Hoops striker is urging the the Parkhead players to do their talking on the pitch and hammer Molde in their Europa League tie in Glasgow tomorrow night.

Sutton welcomed Deila’s words last weekend when the Norwegian claimed everyone wanted Celtic to fail.

He said: “Ronny is entitled to call it as he sees it and it’s refreshing to see him come out and fight his corner.

“On the other hand, at a big club there will always be criticism when you have poor performances.

“For me, it’s a case of wait and see how this match pans out or this group pans out before people start attacking them. Some of the stuff has been a bit premature, but we all know Celtic must win the next two games – against Molde and Ajax.

“The response since losing in Norway has been good and the team have done what they had to do. They’ve made a statement, but you need to separate the domestic and European results – and this is a must-win game.

“Molde beat Fenerbahce, they are well organised and have their strengths. Having said that, they are now sixth in the Norwegian league and you ask yourself: ‘What do Parkhead fans expect from this game?’

“Celtic are not playing Barcelona tomorrow night and they eventually have to stand up and make a statement.

“There were a lot of angry fans after the Molde game, I saw it and it would have hurt Ronny. Now the team must respond.

“It’s at the stage where we will find out a lot about the character of this team. The players have to stand up and show courage.”

Sutton realises Deila will have to deal with more grief if Celtic come unstuck. But he added: “We’re only in November and domestically, as always, Celtic have a great chance to win the Treble. That’s a big thing, but fans are also looking at the European results.

“I think people have been jumping the gun. If Celtic win the next two ties and get through the group, we can have a different conversation.

“Let’s see how they do on Thursday and make judgements then. The result is, of course, critical, but the performance is important, too.”

The Hoops have conceded seven goals in their three games and Sutton, Martin O’Neill’s first signing for the club when he arrived in 2000, added: “They’ve been so easy for teams to hit on the break.

“Jozo Simunovic came off at the weekend and Ronny would have been concerned about that, but you can’t bring the ball out from the back with some of the players he has there.

“Last season, they were so much better because Jason Denayer and Virgil van Dijk could both use the ball.

“We all have our own ideas and I don’t necessarily agree with some decisions. For example, I thought Kieran Tierney did well against Fenerbahce and was surprised he didn’t start in Molde. Simunovic has to play and he’ll pick Sedryck Boyata and Mikael Lustig.

“In fairness to Ronny, he doesn’t pick a team to go out and lose. I just think that when players such as Efe Ambrose are in and you are trying to play out from the back, we all know what is going to happen.

“That’s not being disrespectful, but that’s when you maybe change the way you play because teams can set up against it.”