Ronny Deila

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Deila's first competitive match was a Champions League qualifier against KR Reykjavik on 15 July 2014, which Celtic won 1–0. Although his side lost the second qualifying round to Legia Warsaw 6–1 on aggregate, they progressed after UEFA punished Legia for fielding an ineligible player, awarding Celtic a 3–0 win in the second leg and advancing them on away goals after a 4–4 aggregate draw. Celtic went out of Europe in the next round against Maribor but qualified from their Europa League group. Domestically, Deila won his opening league game 3–0 against St Johnstone on 13 August 2014. His first trophy came on 15 March 2015 when Celtic defeated Dundee United 2–0 in the Scottish League Cup Final. Celtic secured the Scottish Premiership title on 2 May 2015 with three games to spare after rivals Aberdeen lost to Dundee United. The season ended with a 5–0 victory over Inverness on 24 May 2015. In the 2015–16 season, Celtic failed to reach the Champions League group stage after losing to Malmö in the playoffs and finished bottom of their Europa League group. On 17 April 2016, Celtic lost a Scottish Cup semi-final against Rangers on penalties. Three days later, Deila announced he would step down at the end of the season. He left having won his second league title after Celtic beat Aberdeen on 8 May 2016.

In Their Own Story

On 15 July 2014, Deila made his competitive debut as Celtic manager in a Champions League qualifier away to KR Reykjavik, securing a 1–0 win. The second leg ended in a 4–0 victory for the Scottish club. Later that summer, after a shocking aggregate loss to Legia Warsaw, the Polish club was penalized for fielding an ineligible player, turning a 6–1 defeat into a 3–0 UEFA award and sending Celtic through on away goals. By November 2014, Deila had won Manager of the Month. His side defeated Rangers 2–0 in the Scottish League Cup semi-final before lifting the trophy against Dundee United in March 2015. The league title was secured on 2 May 2015 after Aberdeen's loss to Dundee United. A year later, despite losing the Scottish Cup final and failing in Europe, Deila guided Celtic to their second consecutive league title before announcing his departure in April 2016.

Reader's Guide

Ronny Deila's tenure at Celtic began on 6 June 2014 with a contract described as '12-month rolling'. He won the Scottish Premiership twice (2014–15 and 2015–16) and the Scottish League Cup in 2014–15. His first season saw Celtic qualify for the Europa League after being eliminated from Champions League qualifiers, while his second season ended with a league title but no domestic cups. Deila's time at Parkhead was marked by a strong start, including a 6–1 win over Dundee United in his first home league game. He faced criticism early on, with former striker John Hartson calling him 'clueless' in October 2014, but Hartson later praised the manager for turning things around. Deila left the club on 17 April 2016, three days after a penalty shootout loss to Rangers in the Scottish Cup semi-final.

Did You Know?

• Deila won the Norwegian Cup as a player in 2000 when Odd defeated Viking 2–1.
• He combined playing for lower-league Sparta Bragerøen with coaching Strømsgodset until 2011.
• Celtic progressed to the Champions League group stage in his first season only after Legia Warsaw was punished for fielding an ineligible player.
• Deila won the Kniksen Award for Coach of the Year in 2013 before joining Celtic.
• He announced he would leave Celtic three days after losing a Scottish Cup semi-final to Rangers on penalties.