Ronny Deila: Old Firm “threat of violence around a football game is not something I have experienced before”

Ronny Deila says he will perform his trademark celebrations if Celtic beat Rangers next Sunday.

But the Hoops manager who expects the Old Firm derby to be bigger than Real Madrid against Barcelona has insisted he won’t do so anywhere near rival supporters.

The 39-year-old Norwegian has quickly developed a reputation for the exuberant way he interacts with fans when his club wins key games.

It had been thought the tension surrounding the first Rangers-Celtic game in three years might cause him to adopt a more softly, softly approach at Hampden next Sunday.

However, he countered: “No, you have to celebrate with your own fans. I always try to do that.

“So if we win, we are going to be very happy and I am going to be happy with the Celtic fans. But I don’t want to do anything to harm the others.

“In the media, everybody knows that you talk about your club, what we are. You don’t talk about anybody else.

“That is the important thing. That is about respect. And respect is a very important word for Celtic.”

That is especially the case, given the fears of trouble surrounding the second of the League Cup semi-finals.

Indeed, both clubs have been visited by Police Scotland and warned that anyone who steps out of line could be arrested.

“The threat of violence around a football game is not something I have experienced before,” said Deila.

“I am a coach, nothing else, and I want to concentrate on what is happening in the stadium, and on the pitch.

“Football stirs the emotions and they should be shown, but it has to be peaceful.

“That is the most important thing because we have responsibility for everyone especially children. We have to be role models for them.

“I will stress that to my players, and remind them of the need to be disciplined, because if you lose your head then anything can happen.

“It is a big match, a very big match, and everybody is excited to get on with it. But we have to play the match and not the occasion.

“John Collins, John Kennedy and some of the players too have been telling me all about their experiences of the game.

“So I know it is going to be intense and that there won’t be too many passes in the first 15 minutes.

“Although Kennedy was very unlucky with the injury that ended his career prematurely, he did feature in a draw against Barcelona then a win at Ibrox a few days later which was quite a week.

“For me, this derby is going to be a new experience for me but I have seen some big rivalries.

“I have seen Arsenal v Tottenham and the Classico between Real Madrid and Barcelona plus Manchester United against Liverpool.

“This one, I think, will be the best.”