MANAGING Celtic is a challenge for any new boss, never mind a young man who has no previous experience of football in this country.

 

But managing expectation can be even more daunting.

So, when Ronny Deila cranks up the pressure on himself by openly admitting he wants a clean sweep of domestic trophies, it has to be wondered if he is super-confident, or just plain naive.

His three previous predecessors in the position, Neil Lennon, Tony Mowbray and Gordon Strachan, all found it beyond them to emulate Treble winners Martin O'Neill and Jock Stein.

On Sunday, Deila can take the first step towards putting himself into the history books by leading his side to success in the QTS League Cup final against Dundee United.

His on-field lieutenant, Scott Brown, has been over this course before, and knows how important it is for a manager to get his hands on his first piece of silverware.

"It is good for any manager to get their hands on their first trophy - especially at Celtic," said the skipper. "It's going to be a great occasion for us - but it is going to be a special occasion for the manager.

"It's his first cup final for Celtic, and he is going to find out what it is like to go into a game like this with the club. He will see what the fans are like on a cup final day, and exactly what this kind of occasion means to everyone."

Deila has grown into the job in the nine months he has been at Parkhead.

But for all he has achieved as he oversees the transition of the team, it is his trophy count which will define him.

A Treble still seems a long way off, but Brown believes the Norwegian is managing the situation and expectation well.

"That's the important thing," said the midfield general. "And, if we want to go all the way, which we do, we need to make sure we get our hands on this trophy.

"It's maybe a big ask after Sunday. Dundee United are a good team who can mix it as well as play good football. So, we have got to be on our A game and make sure we are up for it right from the start."

The fallout from Sunday's Scottish Cup battle has only helped pique interest in Sunday's clash.

United showed an aggression which had been missing in their previous four league games, none of which they won.

They appear to reserve their best for facing Celtic, winning their league meeting in December, then following up with Sunday's cup draw.

That's a huge improvement on the collapse which saw them go down 6-1 at Celtic Park in August.

Brown believes surroundings and conditions have played their part in the results, and is delighted the next three meetings with United are all in Glasgow, starting with Sunday's final at Hampden, and quickly followed by the Scottish Cup replay then SPFL meeting at Celtic Park.

Still sporting the scratches left by Nadir Ciftci's boot at the weekend, he said: "It's always hard to go up to Tannadice, no matter what. On Sunday, the pitch didn't help anyone, to be honest.

"It was never going to be a great game of football. It was more of a battle. If the ball was there, you had to go and win it. We managed to take it to a replay, which will be at Celtic Park where the pitch will be better."

As is his nature, Brown has done nothing to dampen down the tensions which last weekend's tousy affair generated, supporting Deila's view that Aidan Connolly dived for United's penalty and insisting his challenge which ignited the flare-up which saw Virgil van Dijk and Paul Paton red-carded was perfectly fair.

He is not concerned about any fallout as the teams prepare to meet again another three times in the space of a week.

Unless appeals are won, and the Compliance Officer elects to stay out of it, both teams could be without important players.

Given Celtic's superior strength in depth, that should help their cause.

"Hopefully, that proves to be right," said Brown, who is already without new team-mates, Stuart Armstrong and Gary Mackay-Steven, who are cup-tied.

"We have got some great young players coming through for us as well. That's helping us and pushing us as far as we can possibly go.

"But it is going to be a hard three games, and we are looking forward to that challenge. They are going to be great contests. United are a great team, and the way they play football is good to watch."

Jackie McNamara's side - already sure to be minus Ciftci, who is suspended from the final because he has picked up two bookings in the competition - will be buoyed by the knowledge this is a trophy Celtic have notoriously struggled to win in its 69-year history.

The Hoops are clear favourites to collect it for only the 15th time, but the skipper is taking nothing for granted.

He said: "It's never as easy as just saying, 'We're going to win the League Cup this year, the Scottish Cup next year. We've had probably the hardest draws you could possibly get, with so many of the ties away from home.

"But if you are going to get to cup finals, and win trophies, you just have to get on with it."

The added pressure this time comes from the Treble talk, which has meant every cup game is played on a knife edge as any slip would shatter the dream.

"You can't afford to lose any cup tie, and we knew that on Sunday," admitted Brown. "We were behind, but it showed the character in our team the way we got back on level terms.

"We started the second half very well, got a penalty, and they had another man sent off. We tried all we could to get a winner, but we've managed to take it to a replay so there is still all to play for."