RONNY DEILA would quite happily accept a 1-0 victory over Rangers in tomorrow's League Cup semi-final ...

and would not complain if the winner came via a scrappy own goal!

That reveals something telling about the Celtic manager, whose usual football chat lends the impression that he is one of the game's idealists.

In his short time in Glasgow, he has come to understand that, at Celtic, winning is everything.

And winning against Rangers is imperative, especially given the manner in which the Parkhead side currently hold the upper hand over their oldest and fiercest rivals.

Jock Stein would have approved of Deila's ultimate philosophy of wanting his players to play football that is easy on the eye.

This weekend marks the 50th anniversary of the announcement that Stein was Celtic-bound as the new Hoops manager.

It would be the beginning of the most illustrious chapter of the club's history, made all the more remarkable given the quality of opposition the club were up against, both domestically and on the Continent.

But while Stein always championed his team playing football - part of his satisfaction from the 1967 European Cup triumph over Inter Milan in Lisbon came not just from being the first British team to win the trophy, but that his players did so with some style - he also understood the thirst for sustained success.

The landscape of Scottish football has changed considerably to the extent that Stein would not recognise it were he here today.

Gone are the rest of the fellow-domestic teams that were also jostling with the best in Europe; gone are the players scattered throughout the league who held their own at the peak of international football.

Who knows what Stein would make of a Rangers side who are struggling for a foothold in the Championship and who have become a circus off the pitch?

He would, though, understand the pressure on Deila to deliver.

For the current Celtic manager to get the opportunity to implement his long-term view on Celtic, games such as tomorrow's are huge.

In order to buy himself the time to achieve those aims, he must deliver success in the short-term, and that will mean winning and winning well against Rangers.

"I have talked a lot of the last six months and I always say performances first, but then the result will come," said the Celtic manager. "You don't get a result if you don't perform well. That is why I have to have my mind on the good performance. That is the target - to win the game and that is what we have prepared for.

"The only thing I am thinking about is how to win. That is the most important thing. That is the only thing I can do something about.

While Deila is new to this fixture, he will call on the experience of the Buskerud derby in Norway - a game between Stromsgodset and Mjondalen.

Such is Deila's affinity to his former club that he doesn't even mention the club's rivals by name, insisting instead that he refers to them only by their post code.

Yet, while the game might attract attention in Norway with a capacity of crowd of 5,000, it will not come close to preparing Deila for what tomorrow will be like at Hampden.

"At Stromgodset we had a derby with another club," said the Celtic manager. "I can't even say their name. We just called them by their post code 30/50. It is a place to just drive through.

"That was a big for us and it was a full stadium. Their stadium held 5,000 people, which is not the same."

While Celtic are expected to steamroll their way past Rangers, Deila has preached caution. It would be an indelible stain on his reputation as Celtic manager were he to come out of the game without the victory given the situation the Ibrox club are in.

"If you go one week back then you saw Chelsea losing at home to Bradford and Manchester City losing to Middlesbrough," said Deila.

"A cup competition is a special thing and that is why we love it. It is a semi-final and I don't think the game is going to be great.

"The winner is going to be decided by small margins. Small factors will tip it our way or the other way."

Deila and his opposite number posed cordially for pictures at Hampden this week, the first time they have met one another, but the Celtic manager has no time for the problems that Kenny McDowall has been caught up in at Ibrox.

"I haven't thought so much of that stuff either," he said. "It's a football match first of all. I am prepared for the noise and the enthusiasm in the stadium - that will be a positive thing.

"I am new here and this week was the first time I met [McDowall.] All the emotions everybody has is new for me, so it is hard for me to put myself into his shoes. I am just looking forward to be a part of the derby."

Deila was spotted a few weeks back at Ibrox as Rangers attempted to take on Hearts. The game was abandoned due to adverse weather conditions midway through the opening half, but Deila has kept a close eye on the Ibrox side these last few weeks.

With Celtic in a far more commanding situation than tomorrow's opponents, it would be logical to expect that Rangers will attempt to contain the Parkhead side.

"The recent Hearts game was the only time I have seen them live, but I have watched the Hearts and Hibs games away," said Deila.

"I think they will play very tactically and we will have more possession than them. I think they will be strong on set-plays and counter-attacks."

The Celtic manager has been known for his emotional celebrations in the aftermath of Celtic victories, but celebrating and gesticulating wildly with his own support after wins over Hamilton Accies and Aberdeen is one thing; doing it at an Old Firm game is another.

"I think I am quite calm underneath when the match is going on," he said."I try to be, but I am not calm inside. It is about respect. To celebrate with your own fans is no problem, but I don't want to cause any trouble for others. First of all it is about winning."

Deila is "80% sure" of his team for tomorrow's game with the only injury problem being Charlie Mulgrew. However, aside from planning his strategy for the Hampden meeting, Deila is also still consumed by the transfer window.

"There are a lot of decisions to be made," he said."I can't block the transfer window out as there are two things to focus on right now."