I expect to be given time at Celtic – Deila

Ronny Deila remains confident he can help Celtic make their mark on the Champions League during his tenure and hopes he will be allowed more time to do so.

Celtic are bottom of Europa League Group A on two points from four games after suffering a 2-1 loss at home to Molde, with the Scottish champions in real danger of missing out on a place in the last 32.

Former Celtic managers Gordon Strachan and Neil Lennon both experienced European disappointment during the early years of their reigns before eventually returning relative Champions League success.

Deila hopes his predecessors’ record will allow him more time.

“When you see the history of this club, we have had a manager before who has struggled in Europe in the beginning but the club has stood by their manager and that is what I expect with me as well,” he said.

“I really, really want to be here. I love the club and the fans, I am really ambitious and I am sorry [about the Molde result]. I can assure you I didn’t sleep a lot last night.

“I know what I’ve done in my past. I know all my teams have progressed. I know what I’m building, I know what I want and all the players know how we want to do it.

“I see talent in the team, I see progress. I know we need to get even better but we are not out of the group.  People will say it is going to be hard but it is still possible.”

The 40-year-old, who won the double in his first year in charge at Celtic Park, acknowledged that his position was dependent on securing Europa League qualification.

“Of course it is,” he added. “But as I said managers before here have been struggling in Europe in the beginning and made it right in the end.

“Ok, we didn’t make the Champions League but we went through the group stages last year where we played Inter Milan before going on to win two titles.

“This year we can still win everything and we can still go through in the Europa League even though we have made it hard for ourselves now.”