WHILE the attention of many Celtic fans has already drifted towards which players the club might recruit this summer, Ronny Deila is much more focused on who he already has.

More importantly, the Hoops boss is concentrating on how to get the very best out of every member of the squad during the run in to his first season in charge.

The strengths - and any weaknesses - of his squad will never be more exposed, and the destiny of the two remaining trophies up for grabs could hinge on utilising the resources to the maximum.

Given how deep the quality runs in the Celtic squad compared to what managers elsewhere have at their disposal, it should give Deila a feeling of contentment.

But this is balanced by the extra number of games they play over a season, and the raised expectation level against which they are measured.

That in turn brings extra pressure on which some players thrive and under which others wilt.

Deila has spent the last 10 months getting into the minds of his Bhoys, and believes he now has a decent understanding of what makes them tick, and what might make them blink as the important games swing into view.

But the former teacher is only too aware that it is under examination conditions true character comes to the fore.

Which is why the final two months of the season will tell him so much more about the class of 2014-15.

It is information which will be analysed and put to good use when Deila sits down with his coaching staff and Peter Lawwell to discuss where the shortcomings in the squad still exist, and which areas have to be addressed ahead of next season.

Some departments are already well-covered, in particular the centre of midfield.

But with Scott Brown scheduled to sit out tomorrow's SPFL game against Partick Thistle after collecting six league bookings, the true influence he brings to bear on the team is about to be shown.

Several of his team-mates have picked up Man-of-the-Match awards through the course of the 51 games played this season as form as risen and waned.

But the 29-year-old has been the constant, driving the team through sticky patches and lifting them to even higher levels when they have been on song.

Deila recognises his major contribution to the campaign, on and off the pitch.

But it is a measure of how far Brown has helped carry the team from the ill-fitting outfit they were at the beginning of Deila's reign that the manager now feels confident they have the leaders required to cope with the absence of the force that is Brown.

"I think we do now," said Deila, hoping his assessment is proved correct tomorrow night.

"I was much more nervous when Broonie was missing through injury at the beginning of the season. We needed him more then.

"Of course, he is still going to be a big loss for us when we play Thistle.

"But we have international players for his position. Nir Bitton can play there, and Stefan Johansen is good there as well."

Brown's absence will still be hailed as good news by the Thistle players only too aware what a formidable opponent he is.

The skipper provides the platform from which the Hoops can confidently drive forward, and the rock on which so many opposition attacks founder.

Dropping Johansen back into his position deprives the side of the Norwegian's running power and goal threat, though Kris Commons is more than ready to step inside to take up his former position and bring some extra guile and creativity to the Celtic attack.

After starting on the bench at Paisley on Friday, Gary Mackay-Steven and Leigh Griffiths are fresh options to bring back into the side.

And James Forrest is another player who is desperate to make up for lost time, having finally got himself into the kind of shape which can allow him to play regularly and consistently.

Deila has been delighted with the winger's contribution since coming back into the squad following a long and meticulously-planned rehab.

The manager is confident he now has on call a player who can make a huge impact in the closing months of the season.

"Yes, James does make a difference in games, so it is good to have him available at this stage," said the delighted Deila.

Forrest scored the long-waited opener against St Mirren on Friday, then won the penalty which sealed the game when his shot was blocked by the arm of Victor Genev.

It confirmed he had not lost any of his potency or momentum during the international break, into which he had gone on the back of impressive displays against Dundee United.

The surprise for many was that, having picked him in his squad ahead of Mackay-Steven, Gordon Strachan did not use Forrest against Northern Ireland or Gibraltar.

However, Deila - having held discussions with the national team boss ahead of these games - was not perturbed.

"That was a right decision," he concurred. "James is vulnerable, and we have to manage the situation with him all the time.

"Every day we measure how his body is."

The indications are that the work is paying off, and that the benefits will be enjoyed by club and country in the next couple of months as trophies and a place at Euro 2016 are contested.

Deila said: "He is going in the right direction, and he looks more and more comfortable and confident.

"James can be a very important player for us and for Scotland."

Forrest is proving to be just that already, with his goals - two in the last three games - the big bonus.

Deila knows how much better finding the net can make a player feel about himself, adding: "Especially now that he is playing 100 per cent.

"When he gets the ball, he wants to do something. He didn't do that earlier the season.

"We have been very patient with him, and that's because we need to get everything out of him."