Ronny Deila reckons Celtic can outfight Europa League rivals

CELTIC may not be able to outspend Europa League Group A rivals Fenerbahce.

But ahead of the Bhoys’ first clash with Ajax on Thursday, Ronny Deila insists his side can outfight the mega-rich Turks and top the section.

Fenerbahce boss Vitor Pereira has spent £30m on superstars, including Nani and Robin van Persie since taking charge in June.

By contrast, Deila has paid out less than half that sum across his entire reign as Hoops boss.

The Turks’ spending power has already led Ajax gaffer Frank de Boer to declare his own side and Celtic are locked in a battle to finish second behind Pereira’s multi-millionaires.

But while the Celts’ boss accepts the cold logic of de Boer’s appraisal, he insists his side possess something money can’t buy guts.

“De Boer’s is a good assessment, but money is not everything and we can beat Fenerbahce,” said Deila.

“They have to put a team together as well and we are going to give them a fight. That’s what we want.

“But, of course, if you look at it in terms of money, they have brought in top-class players and are a strong team.”

These days, Celtic and Ajax can only dream about spending so big.

In an era where television cash has created a gaping chasm between football’s haves and have-nots, both clubs have essentially been relegated to the status of former greats.

When it comes to the transfer market, neither can compete with teams they rightly once considered as relative minnows.

When asked whether the idea of an Atlantic League could help solve Celtic’s problems, Deila said he was open the possibility.

Still, Celtic have retained a healthy sense of ambition to match their pride. And, in Ajax, Deila believes they will meet a team with an identical set of expectations.

“There is now such a big difference in the money between different countries. It makes it harder for everybody,” he admitted.

“When we have good generations we have brought in players and given them the experience. When we have good generations we can beat anybody.

“But then you lose players and have to start all over again.

“So it’s tougher to be every year on the same level like the clubs who have more money.

“If the distance gets too big it’s not positive for European football either. Ajax have the same demands as here at Celtic.

“They want to win games and get back on track and show they are good enough to be in Europe and maybe in the Champions League as well.

“That’s going to be a very tough game, but I am confident we can get something from Amsterdam.

“We have an injury-free squad now. Everybody has played a lot in the international break, almost everybody.

“They are important in their national teams and that’s a positive sign.”Gordon Smith: Celtic need a re-think from top to bottom – click here to read moreDespite the touch of glamour offered by Celtic’s storied Europa League opponents, it remains a consolation prize of a competition.

The Champions League was the be-all and end-all for Deila and qualification would have represented real progress something by which the success or failure of his project could be objectively measured.

An uncharacteristically fearful performance in Malmo brought the dream to a jarring end.

But Deila, with his side’s fate sealed, prefers to deal in terms of ‘what is’ rather than ‘what might have been’. While he admits the Hoops have yet to prove themselves capable of lifting European football’s secondary club competition, he believes qualification from their group would embody improvement.

And should they make it through, he believes they have every chance of going all the way.

“I don’t think we have shown we can win the Europa League so far,” Deila conceded.

“We have to have respect for the level, but everything can happen in European football.

“You see that in the Champions League qualification as well when it’s two games to go through to the group stages.

“We’ll see.

“First we have to get through and then we can talk about what’s possible in future.

“This is an exciting group. It’s going to be a tough group but our goal is to get through.

“That would be a very good thing for us.”Read more Sunday Post sports news – click hereThe Numbers Game – Celtic v Ajax | Create infographics