ALEX McLEISH has warned Ronny Deila that he must start winning in Europe because even a domestic treble in the current climate will not be enough to satisfy the demands that exist at Celtic.

Deila has failed in two attempts to lead the Ladbrokes Premiership titleholders to the group stage of the Champions League and is now under pressure in the wake of the 3-1 away defeat to Norwegians Molde which left them rooted to the bottom of their Europa League section.

The Celtic manager still has a chance of lifting all three domestic trophies, but McLeish, who was the last man to win a Treble with Rangers in 2003 and also took the Ibrox club to the last 16 of the Champions League, believes there is now real pressure on him to prove himself at a higher level.

Having lost out to Maribor of Slovenia and Swedish side Malmo in the play-off round for the Champions League, nothing other than a victory over Molde at Parkhead next Thursday can be termed acceptable for Deila.

“I’m not going to speculate on Ronny’s future, but he has got to beat these teams,” said McLeish.

“At Celtic, your spending power is probably bigger than theirs, so is it then an indictment on the Scottish league that the Swedish league is better? That it is more competitive for Malmo. Is it more competitive in Norway for Molde?

“These are the hurdles Celtic have to get over, starting in the next home game.

“I think Ronny has to be beating these teams.

“I’m not trying to put pressure on him. I just know, having been there as a manager, that would be the same expectation for me.

“I’m sure Ronny would appreciate that coming from someone else who has been through that kind of situation.

“Even if you win domestically just now, it might not be enough. Europe is the big expectation and winning domestically is taken for granted.

“It’s like down south if Arsene Wenger wins the League Cup. Most Arsenal fans wouldn’t be happy with that.

“That wouldn’t be success in their eyes.

“In Scotland, domestic success is taken as read for Celtic at the moment.

“That’s why everyone with Celtic at heart and Scottish football needs Celtic to succeed in Europe. That is the pressure that’s on them.

“When Celtic and Rangers were in the league together, in my day, winning the treble would have compensated if things hadn’t gone to plan in Europe.

“Maybe now, what is much more important to Celtic is Europe.

“They should be winning the three trophies domestically, but I understand it’s easier said than done.”

McLeish completed his domestic clean sweep against a Celtic side, managed by Martin O’Neill, that reached the final of the UEFA Cup.

Deila’s Celtic do not face anything like that level of competition and McLeish insists that is why a Treble earned by Celtic manager in this era, where Rangers are no longer a top-flight force, cannot be looked upon in the same light.

“When Rangers and Celtic are going head-to-head in the way they were in that period, it’s extremely difficult to win a treble because the teams are so evenly matched,” he said.

“In theory, it should be easier for the current Celtic team, but, for one reason or another, they haven’t been able to do it.

“It should be within Celtic’s grasp.

“They are by far the biggest spenders in the league, they have by far the strongest squad and, if they have injuries, they have people who can come in and cover."