RONNY DEILA is delighted to have been shortlisted for the Scottish PFA manager of the Year award.

The Hoops boss is joined by Inverness Caley boss John Hughes, Aberdeen's Derek McInnes and Robbie Neilson of Hearts, but it is an award that at one stage of his Celtic career he may have feared he wouldn't be around to see.

Deila said: "It is a big honour. It is a statement that we have done something well and, for me, it is important to share these things with my team, my staff and the players. We have done well this year and we just have to finish it off, that's the main thing. Of course I am happy to be nominated.

"It is recognition. It is important for me to include my staff because we have worked very closely together and I am very into working as a team.

"We have done that all season. I get the good things when it is going good, but I also get the bad things when it is going bad. We have done something positive and we get the recognition for that."

Deila himself voted for Hughes, McInnes and Dundee United's Jackie McNamara.

It is a significant turnaround for the Norwegian, who has the opportunity to win the title this weekend, if results elsewhere fall kindly for Celtic.

If the Hoops win at Dundee tomorrow night and Aberdeen overcome Dundee United at Tannadice on Saturday, Deila will have the opportunity to claim the title at Pittodrie on Sunday week - the ground where it all began to change for him at Celtic.

A late victory for the Hoops over Aberdeen that day gave birth to the 'Ronny Roar' and, while Deila may be open to criticism for it being a somewhat contrived celebration after games now, there is little question it was an outpouring of pure relief on that first occasion.

Asked when he felt he began to win over the Celtic fans, Deila said: "The Aberdeen game when we were away. I am an emotional guy and, in the beginning, if you are too emotional you don't make the right choices and you have to get the team to be calm.

"But when you feel safer it is easier to relax and show what you feel."

Despite initial murmurs of unrest that he was changing the culture within the walls of Lennoxtown too swiftly for the liking of some players, Deila himself has maintained that players and backroom staff have been on board as the club have gone through the season.

"The only thing you can do is be honest and true to yourself," he said. "I have always been honest.

"If you don't succeed you have to learn from it and try one more time. If you work hard enough you will go in the direction you need if the people who are beside you are with you. I have had good co-operation with the players and with the staff.

"When the football is better and the results are better, I knew the supporters would turn around. But I think every supporter has a right to be critical.

They love the club and they really care for football, especially Celtic fans. I am happy they have supported me and we have had some good times - hopefully there will be even more."