Celtic manager Ronny Deila welcomed Rangers’ promotion from the Championship – but whether the Hoops boss will be there to oversee a sustained challenge against the Ibrox side next season remains to be seen.

“They have showed that they are the best team in the Championship and we are ready to take them on next year,” said Deila. “Of course it is a big club and when they are good enough then that can only be a positive thing for Scottish football.”

Of more pressing concern to Deila at the minute is what happens this season.

Celtic have drawn seven league games this term, the latest of which came at Dens Park against Dundee on Wednesday night.

The failure to send out a definitive message that the title is theirs has not only kept the door to the title ajar to Aberdeen but has lent Celtic a constant air of vulnerability.

And as they stagger towards the a league title that ought to have been ought of sight long before now, results like Wednesday night’s have done little to quell the disquiet that began to grow in the wake of Celtic’s failure to make the UEFA Champions League a way back at the beginning of the season.

Deila’s stock has never truly recovered since then among the Hoops support. While there was a division among those who continued to back him in the aftermath of the meek defeat to Malmo, there were few still coming down in favour the Norwegian in the aftermath of a horrific Europa League display.

Now, with Celtic requiring to take 13 points from a final possible 18 in order to secure a fifth successive championship, there is a question over whether the Parkhead side have the required strength of mind to cope with any pressure that will come from Pittodrie.

Derek McInnes’ side play a Hearts side that have been ravaged by a sickness bug this week on Friday night at Tynecastle, an opportunity to turn up the heat on Celtic who play at Fir Park at lunchtime on Saturday.

Deila has maintained that he himself is not buckling under the strain.

“I am looking forward to it,” he said. “I always look forward to games. There are six games and we have to push on. It could be worse. It is a good position but there is a way to go and this will be an important game for us.

“Nothing has changed from our point of view. We would be going to Fir Park to get three points no matter what had happened with the game at Dundee or with Aberdeen on Friday night. We always want to win.

“Of course I believe we are going to win the league. There are a lot of positives here and I believe in my players. That has not changed. Yes, there is pressure but I enjoy that pressure. If you don’t enjoy working under pressure then you should not be the Celtic manager.”

One of the obvious reflections that can be drawn from any observations from watching Celtic is the heavy reliance on Leigh Griffiths.

The player has played through a minor calf strain in recent weeks but given his prolific goal count this term, it has been notable that he has not hit the net in his last three league outings.

Given just how important he has become to Celtic this season, it is little wonder then that he will earn Deila’s vote for Player of the Year.

“It is hard to look beyond Leigh because he has scored so many goals for us this season,” he said. “But I always think that it is important to look at the whole season and we still have six games to go so we will see how things are at the very end of the season.

“Just now, though, it is all about getting the results that we need. That is what we are concentrating on.”

And Deila refuted suggestions that there is too much weight on Griffiths getting the goals for Celtic.

No other Hoops player has hit double figures so far this season and without the 35 goals that Griffiths has netted this term, Celtic’s predicament would be substantially worse.

“In some ways, yes, there is lots of goals coming from Leigh but last weekend we had two wingers who scored three goals. Would we like to see more player scoring? Yes, of course we would.

“But that is about the way we are playing and what we are doing with the ball. More goals will come if we are more effective with the way that we create chances.”

Deila also explained that Carlton Cole is currently being assessed by the club after picking up a knee injury, although he has backed Colin Kazim-Richards to make an impression before the end of the season.

The striker, signed in the January transfer window, has toiled since arriving and has never looked like a comfortable fit in the Celtic set-up. He scored in the Scottish Cup win over minnows East Kilbride but has not added to that.

“He has been close to getting on the scoresheet recently and they will come for him,” insisted Deila.

Time, however, is of the essence now.