Learning Up On Celtic Target Ronny Deila
Celtic are on the verge of signing up Ronny Deila as their new head coach.
It is an appointment that caught out a lot of people, including the media in both Scotland and Norway.
I’m not going to lie before the link was announced on Wednesday, I knew nothing about Ronny. But like most fans and writers today, I checked the oracle that is Wikipedia and searched the news sites for more info.
What I read, I liked the look of. He started work as a coach at the age of thirty-two and turned around his club’s (Strømsgodset) fortunes. Eventually taking them to the Norwegian league title in 2013.
Now at thirty-eight he looks set to become Celtic’s new boss.
Fortunately I was working with a Norwegian sports journalist all day yesterday and got more of a lowdown on the new man at Parkhead.
So what did I learn?
First off that you pronounce his name Die-la like dial-a-coach…. Without the coach part (props to STV’s Grant Russell for that pun)
Ronny works well with a tight budget. Ideal for Celtic’s business and transfer model. He isn’t afraid of giving youth its chance and gave a fifteen year old their debut this term, making Martin Ødegaard the youngest player to play in the Tippeligaen (Norwegian league).
Even with his recently signed new two year contract, there was always an understanding between both Deila and Strømsgodset that he would be allowed to talk to any top European side if they came in for him.
The compensation deal would be between £330k and £500k. The Norwegian’s would obviously like to get closer to £500k but knowing Celtic Chief Exec Peter Lawwell it will end up being closer to £300k.
Ronny is a great man manager. Supposedly when Celtic’s Stefan Johansen first arrived at Strømsgodset his career was in a bit of a rut. Then Deila got his hands on him and turned the player into a star. Johansen is known to believe that Ronny Deila is the best coach he has worked with.
Ronny likes his sides to play attacking and aggressive football that excites the fans. He also has a pre-match ritual where he goes to a corner of the ground and runs at the advertising boards and kicking them, to rile up his own support. Where he will do that at Celtic Park remains to be seen.
There is still talk that he will bring an assistant with him. Last I heard it was 50/50 that David Nielsen would be either Celtic’s assistant manager or Strømsgodset’s new head coach.
Ronny Deila is also a bit of a character and should be good for the Scottish press when giving his press conferences, providing them with plenty of great quotes.
There will be no link up between Celtic and Strømsgodset as the Norwegians already have a tie up with Manchester City. It is also believed that Ronny wont plunder his old side too much for new buys. People in Norway were surprised that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer did that. I was also told that Ronny Deila was held in higher regard than Solskjaer in Norway for his coaching methods.
It was thought by the Norwegian press that Deila would get a big Scandinavian job first. Malmo was a possibility, but Ronny turned it down.
I asked my Norwegian journalist contact if he thought that Deila would look at Celtic as a stepping stone and was told ‘No. Celtic are a very big club and Ronny would never look beyond them’.
So there you have it. Obviously some of this stuff is already in the papers but I am sure the finer details aren’t.
Speaking to a few Celtic fans at the stadium yesterday and they would have preferred a Roy Keane or a Malky Mackay but I think Lawwell and co have really thought about this and thought outside the box. They are getting a young ambitious, hungry coach that will be loyal and sees Celtic as a huge club and respects that.
Quite a few Scandinavian coaches have landed on the UK shores and have been wash outs. But I really think if given time and the backing of the players then Ronny Deila could be a fantastic appointment.
Posted on June 6th, 2014 by scott
Filed under: Article
Thank you so much for this insight into our new manager. Of course, once again, the media and the fans have gotten this one wrong and will be proven wrong to doubt this appointment as well. Deila is an inspired hire and will prove to be one of our best managers. He will take this side forward. Now we just need to get his staff together and hire a sporting director to work in tandem with him.