RONNY DEILA has been here before.

Results going against him, concern for a lack of progress on the field and a move, whether small or significant, among supporters to get him the sack. He came through that right enough, went onto make his name as a coach, which got him the Celtic job. Some 18 months on from that surprise appointment, the Norwegian is in a familiar spot of bother.

If Deila is allowed to see out the end of this season, and all signs right now point to that he will be, then just like those dark days at Strømsgodset, he will emerge as a champion, even if his side lose at Ross County today and allow the gap between them and the rest to shorten.

One title in Norway in 2010 was enough for him to keep his job. Two titles in as many years at Celtic, plus as many as three cup final wins on top of that, may not be enough to see him start a third season as Celtic manager.

And the man himself knows this only too well.

At least Deila, who at 40 is a baby in his game, has been through bad times in his past and emerged a stronger person.The hope for all with Celtic at heart is that history repeats himself.

“Yeah, I had very tough times in Norway,” Deila admitted when asked to remiss about previous problems. “It was the same as I feel now but this is a bigger scale. Only it wasn't a bigger scale when I was new to the job, as a playing-assistant first and then taking over. It took time.

“And they wanted me sacked there as well. I said things they didn't like and they (the supporters) went ‘we can't have a manager like that.’ But the club stood behind me and I got a new contract when were last in the league in 2009. We built up a new team. I’m difficult to get rid off!”

Those fans who wanted wanted rid because Deila misspoke is never going to be a problem in his current job because he always says the right things and he remains hugely popular with the rank and file.

But an increasing number are unconvinced by him as a manager. Many were at that stage even when he won two trophies last season and certainly a lot more are revising their opinion. Deila may not have the riches his predecessors enjoyed, but he should be getting more out of the players. That is inarguable.

Deila said: “I have trained four teams in my life and every of them has got better and better. But in Stromsgodset, we needed to sell the older players and get in players like Ola Kamara and Stefan Johansen for free who nobody else wanted to have and build them up.

“Now Molde are producing players all the time, they are selling and players are coming back again. They are starting to get that cycle now and that's the goal here as well.”

Here’s a thing. Have Celtic progressed under Deila this season? The answer is a resolute no. He has not been helped by losing Virgil van Dijk and Jason Denayer – their replacements are not close to their high level – but the team as a whole and individuals such as Johansen have gone backwards.

Old Gunnar Solskjaer, the Molde manager, put forward the argument that Celtic’s lack of real competition at home, he mentioned Rangers but there is zero evidence they could be any competition next season, and their absence as a factor. It is in part but it’s hardly the only problem.

Deila said: “The higher level that is in the league, and how much you then have to stretch yourself to win, (makes it) easier in Europe. If it's a big gap between the league and Europe then you have to get up to that level.

"You play (in Europe) every three weeks and have games between then and they are different games. Of course, to have somebody to stretch you is important for everybody.

"Without being disrespectful to the clubs, of course, I think we are number 25 in the league coefficients. Norway is 24. That’s not what it was 10-15 years ago, you were much higher than that (ninth in 2003-04) and everybody has to work hard and think how we can get back again.

“The history of Scottish football is fantastic if you go 25 years ago, and from 2003 with the Uefa Cup final as well. How many good players Scotland created was unbelievable."

Deila is quite correct. Scottish football has been getting worse for some time. However, that doesn’t excuse Celtic or their manager from blame in terms of recent performances and results.

Even a less-than-great Celtic side should not lose twice to Molde. Ever. Deila needs to find a way to bring back the thunder, as Neil Lennon once did. Norway is not Scotland. For one thing, they are now better at football than us.