Ronny Deila will be rooting for Scotland this week as Gordon Strachan’s side prepare for a critical double header against Georgia and Germany in a bid to reach the finals of this summer’s European Championships.

The Celtic manager has a glut of players away on international duty with Scotland well represented by the Parkhead side.

Scott Brown, Charlie Mulgrew, Leigh Griffiths, James Forrest and Craig Gordon are all in there, although Stuart Armstrong had to bow out of due to a recurring back complaint that saw him miss Saturday’s 3-1 win over St Johnstone.

The Celtic manager will keep tabs on all the players within the squad and psychologically he believes those who return on the back of positive results can maintain an upbeat mood as the Hoops prepare to embark on their Europa League campaign.

“That is important,” he said. “We really hope that they win and can help Scotland get to the European Championships.

“They come back then in good spirits. You don’t have to lift them. The mood of the national team reflects on the whole country and if we have players in there representing Scotland and getting good results then come back lifted by the experience.”

The additional aspect is that it also helps to prepare players for the demands of European football.

So far this term Celtic have been sloppy defensively with the concession of cheap goals. That lackadaisical aspect to the Parkhead side cost them, particularly in the Champions League play-off against Malmo but a significant part of the problem is that domestically they can afford to make such errors and recover without losing ground in the race for the title.

Ajax and Fenerbahce are tested every week domestically lending a fear that if they slip on league duty it will cost them dearly in terms of their positioning. By contrast, Celtic went to the summit of the SPFL this weekend and it is safe to say that they will be there come May, no matter what the challenge may be from Tynecastle or Pittodrie.

It is difficult then to replicate the kind of tension that surrounds the European games, where Celtic need to be at the peak of their game.

And while Deila may have preferred not to be sending his players to all four corners around the globe, he is optimistic that the level of international football can encourage that sharpness of thought and attitude when his side return to Lennoxtown next week.

“International football is like the highest level of club football and you need to be at your best,” he said. “The players are tested in that environment and they need to be switched on, focussed, concentrating all the time.

“Like Champions League football, one mistake, one poor pass, one lapse in concentration can cost you a game. That helps them develop as players. It helps them to get better and to be sharper and that in turn benefits us as a club.

“You always fear when they go out that they might come back injured but there are good people around them in the international teams and we trust that they are in good hands.”

Deila has a frantic 24 hours ahead of him as seeks to bolster his strike force before the closure of tonight’s window. It has been a whirlwind conclusion to the transfer season and the Norwegian manager has admitted that he is looking forward to the curtain coming down in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

“It can be a bit unsettling at times,” he acknowledged, in reference to the Virgil Van Dijk situation which has been up in the air all summer. “Players are professional and they get on with their job but as a manger I think there is a chance to stop when the window closes and you know exactly where you are going forward.

“Of course, we are always looking and always watching but when the window closes you know what the squad is.”

Given the disappointing manner with which the season has started for Celtic – the Champions League exit will be difficult to shrug off given the sheer weight of expectation engulfing it for the club – Deila is also looking forward to a chance to reflect on the opening month of the campaign.

“Mentally we are ready for a break,” said the Norwegian, who looked shattered in the wake of that Malmo defeat. “We will train well with the player who are here this week and then give them some time off over the weekend before getting ourselves ready for the game against Aberdeen next week.

“We will use some of the time for reflection, that is important.

“It is always like that. I always like to look back at games and analyse what we did wrong and how we can improve. This week will be a chance for us to do that in some depth.”

Leigh Griffiths scored his eighth goal of the season on Saturday afternoon but it remains to be seen whether he keeps the main striker’s role when tonight’s window closes.

Celtic are keen to supplement their forward line with another striker although Deila has praised the attitude and application of Griffiths and maintained that he will remain prominent in his plans.

“He is in good shape and he is performing well,” he said. “He is hungry and I think he will score a lot of goals for us this season.

“ I don’t want to say an exact number I think he will score but I do think he is capable of being the top scorer in the country. He is sharp, hungry, wants to play all the time.

“Whatever happens he knows he has a role to play this season.”