As a queue forms at Ronny Deila’s office door before his Lennoxtown seat is cold, there is a common theme to the names linked with his job.

Paul Lambert, Brendan Rodgers, Roy Keane, Martin O’Neill, Neil Lennon and Davie Moyes all share similarities of either having played for the club or having an affinity with the club. With box office appeal high on the agenda as Celtic look to bring back punters who have fallen away from the club in recent seasons, it is highly unlikely that another unknown and untested will be handed the job of getting the Parkhead side back into the elite environment of the UEFA Champions League.

And Deila believes that having someone who knows the club and knows the daily pressures of the role can be an advantage – the Norwegian even went so far to suggest that had he himself being known as a “Celtic man” that he might have found his passage a little easier.

That one is up for debate given the results and performances, particularly on a European front. Tony Mowbray, the brainchild behind the enduring pre-match huddle, did not find much slack coming his way as the goals piled in against Celtic on a dreary night in Paisley.

“If the next manager has a Celtic background then that’s not a negative thing,” said the Norwegian. “It’s not the most important thing but it’s a good thing. It’s good to understand what Scottish football is all about and understand what the club is all about.

“I think that’s an important thing. At the same time, if you are a bad manager then it’s not worth anything – you need to have the package first. But if you have a Celtic background then that can only be a positive thing to bring into the club. When you are a Celtic person it’s easier to get accepted very quickly. You know the environment much better.”

Asked if it would have made a difference to his own situation had he had a Celtic background, Deila said: “I think so, yes. It could have made a difference. It’s always difficult for a manager to go abroad.

“There aren’t many who have done it and really succeeded. It’s tough because of the culture and language changes.

“When you speak Norwegian it’s easy – you can get a stone to jump. But suddenly you need to speak in another language and you don’t have all the words. It takes time to get into things. So it was challenging for me, although I have learned a lot. A lot of my ideas are in the club now and will stay here for a long, long time.”

“I am very proud to have been a Celtic manager and if you can bring trophies in then that is a big part of it. I will of course remember that for the rest of my time here and the rest of my life. It is a big thing for everybody. Who doesn’t want to be champions of your country? Five in a row is a big achievement but also if you can reach a big number it is unbelievable.”

How history remembers Deila remains to be seen.

However, he himself will take solace from the fact that whatever his shortcomings were that he delivered two title to the club. The Hoops supporters have been singing songs about 10-in-a-row for the last four seasons and while Deila poured a little cold water on that, he did admit that he will draw comfort from having played his own part in the history of the club.

“This club is in a very good situation and if they stay hungry and keep getting better then it will be very hard to catch them,” he said.

“But I think it is very dangerous to look too far ahead. You have to take it day by day and look at every game coming up. But the club has great experience now and they are a winning club. But the whole time you have to be ahead of your opponents.

“Rosenborg did it. They were unbelievably consistent and the manager was there for 13 years. The whole style they played meant that everybody could close their eyes and they still knew what each other was doing. It was printed into the club and that is something that Celtic has as well but they need to keep working to get the results.

“I am very proud to have been a Celtic manager and if you can bring trophies in then that is a big part of it. I will of course remember that for the rest of my time here and the rest of my life. It is a big thing for everybody. Who doesn’t want to be champions of your country? Five in a row is a big achievement but also if you can reach a big number it is unbelievable.”