Ronny Deila: The debt I owe to Norway’s version of Fergie

Ronny Deila has revealed his debt to Norwegian football’s answer to Sir Alex Ferguson.

The Celtic boss was back home in Norway last night, celebrating his side’s title success after Aberdeen lost at Dundee United to hand the Hoops the flag.

And it was a fellow countryman Deila was reflecting on as he basked in the glory.

Nils Arne Eggen managed Rosenborg for 23 years before retiring in 2010, winning 15 Norwegian Premier League titles.

And as Deila eyes a dynasty of his own, the Celtic manager admitted the lessons he learned from him will help him build on his first season with the Hoops.

“Eggen is the manager I’m closest to he is my role model,” said Deila.

“He is a genius, who has taught Norwegian football, and me, a lot.

“He first won the title with a small club in 1987, a bit like we did with Stromsgodset. But he was in his late 40s when he had the best part of his career.

“And all the time he was bringing success to Rosenborg, he was selling his best players. But he was insistent that players shouldn’t leave too early, and I agree with that.

“They should stay in a good environment and do well over a number of seasons.

“It can’t be that they play a couple of good games and look to move on to a higher level. They should want to be important to the team and then take the next step.”

It is a wisdom, Deila believes, that also applies to managers.

“That’s absolutely the case for us as well,” he said. “It’s something I think I did at Stromsgodset.

“I stayed there for a very long time, through the good times and the bad times. I built something from the bottom up.

“I didn’t come in for a year, win and then move on. I took all the steps.

“Now I would like to do it at Celtic, as Jock Stein did.

“It’s tough to achieve staying at a club for a number of years.

“What Alex Ferguson did at Manchester United is unbelievable. Arsene Wenger at Arsenal also.”

The 39-year-old, though, acknowledges in order to be a long-term success away from his homeland, he will have to buck a historical trend.

Countrymen Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Egil Olsen and Stale Solbakken have all struggled abroad.

“I don’t know these guys that well, but I think what makes me different is the way I lead,” said the Hoops boss.

“I think it’s about the personality I am. I’m not saying I’m better, but I’m different.

“Maybe I have another approach in how I talk to players and demand things.

“It was tough at the start for me at Celtic, but I forced myself to be calmer than I had been in Norway to keep the pressure away from the players.

“And, of course, what I also did well was to choose the right club.

“It was so hard at Cardiff for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with everything that was going on there. It was the same for Solbakken. Wolves sold their best players.

“So it is hard to say that I am better than them. Maybe I just chose the best club and I’ve had a little bit of luck as well.”

It might, as they say, be better to be lucky than good. To be both is best of all.