Clean sheet the key insists Deila

Deila was quizzed on Thursday on the absence of the player from the substitutes’ bench against Qarabag in the Champions League qualifier.

“Anthony was left out because we found others better, so he has to fight to get back into the team again”.

“It is not possible to get more pressure than what you put on yourself”, he said. “As time went on, the fans got behind me and the team and supported me really well”.

“Defensively, we were solid”.

We had a lot of the ball but we didn’t create so much.

He now hopes to mark the good news by completing the job in the second-leg on Wednesday. “We had possession and pressure”.

IRELAND worldwide ANTHONY Stokes could soon be on his way out of Celtic.

“And don’t worry, the players know all about Qarabag”. I think we are individually good and have strong qualities.

Good things are also expected of newly-promoted Hearts, who ran away with the Championship title last season, as they begin their top flight campaign at home to St Johnstone.

“Hopefully, we can get into Champions League group stages and he can show himself there as well as being the level he plays at”.

“Inverness, we saw them last year, we enjoy the way that they play football under John Hughes but could they challenge Celtic?”

“Are we favourites? It’s hard to say, anything can happen in football”.

“That’s part of the motivation for getting out there every week and trying to improve and play at the highest level I possibly can”.

Celtic’s Nadir Ciftci has a shot on goal.

The Turkish hitman got the nod before the Scotland striker for a starting slot but the boss said: “It wasn’t a hard decision because Leigh had struggled the whole night before with a tooth problem”. He was at the dentists in the morning and he hasn’t slept.

Celtic won the Scottish league title at a canter last season and were 17 points clear of second placed Aberdeen. “I gave the guy my shirt – I don’t hold a grudge”.

“So I am looking forward to the game”.

Now, Celtic Park has been lifted.

Keeper Craig Gordon will be a key man for the Hoops in Baku next week and he penned a new deal until 2018 yesterday.

The former Ireland worldwide has slipped down the pecking order at Parkhead and with one year remaining on his three-year contract, looks likely to move before the transfer window closes in September.