Former Rangers gaffer Alex McLeish tells Ronny Deila:

[Bearman 9]

Even a domestic treble might not save you if Celtic crash out of Europe

 

THE ex-Scotland boss thinks with Rangers out of the top flight that Celtic's record in Europe is paramount when judging success for the Scottish champions.

 

Alex McLeish insists even a treble won’t be deemed a success for Ronny Deila if he fails to deliver in Europe for Celtic.

 

The former Rangers boss was the last man to achieve the domestic clean sweep with the Ibrox club back in 2002.

 

But McLeish doesn’t believe that in itself is enough for Hoops boss Deila with their Old Firm rivals out of the top flight.

 

And that is why he says the Norwegian has to perform in continental competition to prove his worth in the Celtic hot-seat.

 

Deila stayed on course for the Treble after booking a place in the League Cup semi-finals with a 2-1 win at Hearts on Wednesday night.

 

But the 40-year-old former Stromsgodset boss has failed in three attempts to reach the Champions League group stages and are currently bottom of their Europa League group after three games.

 

And McLeish - the first manager to lead a Scottish club to the Champions League knockout stages - said: “When Celtic and Rangers were in the league together winning the treble would have compensated if things hadn’t gone to plan in Europe.

 

“Maybe now what is much more important to Celtic is Europe. Europe is the big expectation and winning domestically is a bit taken for granted. They should be winning the three trophies domestically but I understand it’s easier said than done.

 

“Even if you win domestically just now it might not be enough. The Treble should be within Celtic’s grasp because they are by far the biggest spenders in the league and have by far the strongest squad but for one reason or another they haven’t been able to do it.”

 

McLeish came through a Champions League group with Inter Milan while Deila’s Hoops predecessors Gordon Strachan and Neil Lennon masterminded Euro wins over AC Milan and Barcelona respectively.

 

And former Scotland boss McLeish believes the calibre of opposition Deila has lost to - Maribor in last season’s Champions League play-off and Malmo this season - counts against him.

 

The 56-year-old said: “I’m not going to speculate on Ronny’s future but he has got to beat these teams. At Celtic your spending power is probably bigger than theirs.

 

“So is it then an indictment on the Scottish league that the Swedish league is better? That it is more competitive for Malmo. Is it more competitive in Norway for Molde?

 

“These are the hurdles Celtic have to get over, starting in the next home game. I think Ronny has to be beating these teams. I’m not trying to put pressure on him. I just know, having been there as a manager, that would be the same expectation for me.

 

“I’m sure Ronny would appreciate that coming from someone else who has been through that kind of situation. I know the expectation levels. In Scotland, domestic success is taken as read for Celtic at the moment.

 

“That’s why everyone with Celtic in their hearts, and for Scottish football, needs Celtic to succeed in Europe and that’s the pressure that’s on them. It’s like down south if Arsene Wenger wins the League Cup, most Arsenal fans wouldn’t be happy with that. That wouldn’t be success in their eyes.”

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/former-rangers-gaffer-alex-mcleish-6731364

[RANGERRAB 3,741]

Deila will be gone before next season when we're back in the top division.

He was a cut price appointment by the yahoos based on us appointing someone like McCall or McInnes after ditching McCoist when we were back in the top division.

But Warburton has changed all that. He has contacts and sources all over the place whereas Deila doesn't. Why did they appoint a Norwegian when most of his signings seem to come from within Scottish football ? Doesn't he have any contacts in Scandanavian football to recruit their up and coming talent? Doesn't look like it does it.

Warburton is probably only about 50 percent W.I.P with team rebuilding at Rangers and looks a good appointment already. By the time next season starts and Warburton has added more new faces to the positions which still need strengthened Rangers will be more than ready. LIewell knows that so Deila's days are numbered IMO.

[Bearman 9]

Liewell may well be under pressure now...seems he's missed the boat which is staggering considering how far he put himself and his club ahead of his main rival - 'The Only Show in Town!

 

Now that Rangers are almost sure of coming back up this year he's caught with his pants down rather embarrassingly!

 

What will he do to confront this unforeseen problem?

 

Too late bud