RONNY DEILA today insisted there is no wrangling over cash at Celtic as he bids to take the Parkhead side into the group stages of the Champions League.

The Hoops boss is already looking towards the critical summer qualifying games and he has maintained that talks with chief executive Peter Lawwell and majority shareholder Dermot Desmond do not give rise to arguments over what funds are available to him as he seeks to strengthen the squad.

"It doesn't work like that," said Deila. "I don't know what you think about it, but Dermot and Peter want the same things as me. They tell me what we need to go to the Champions League.

"We have dialogue and discussions all the way - and Peter is sometimes on the front foot more than I am.

"It is not like I go and demand things. We are talking about things, what is possible, what is important. And we know the issues we have about salaries and transfer fees.

"There are very clear lines and we try and find the best options for the team and develop it in the right direction."

And Deila also believes that he has justified his appointment as Neil Lennon's successor.

Despite a ropey start to his time in the dug-out at Celtic, Deila steadied the team and is set to preside over a double-winning team this season.

The Hoops boss, shortlisted yesterday by the Scottish PFA for Manager of the Year, acknowledged that he was a risky appointment for Celtic last summer, but has insisted that Lawwell has stood firm in his support - even when times were troubled in those early weeks and it looked as though his tenure at the club may have been short-lived.

"If you don't have support from the people above you then you would feel unsafe all the time," he said.

"You would never get to your full potential - and that is the same for me. If one of my players felt unsafe they would be afraid to go on the pitch and they won't develop.

"He [Lawwell] has been a support to me all the time and has backed me. You need that leadership and he has done that in a very good way.

"It is one of the reasons why I wanted to come to Celtic as well. I knew there were experienced leaders who would not take stupid decisions. They can be calm.

"The decision to bring me in was a very high-risk one. But they are experienced, they know what they are looking for and hopefully I have shown them that I am capable of doing what they wanted me to do."