Deila Pleased With "Excited" Squad

Photo by Jeff Holmes Ronny Deila believes his Celtic side are now enjoying their football as much as excited children. The Hoops have recovered from a sticky start to the Norwegian's first season in charge to have the domestic treble within their grasp. After winning the Scottish League Cup final with a 2-0 win over Dundee United at Hampden Park last Sunday, their 4-0 William Hill Scottish Cup replay win over the Terrors at Parkhead on Wednesday night set up a semi-final meeting with Inverness at the national stadium next month. United visit Glasgow on Saturday again where the league leaders will hope to take another step towards their fourth Scottish Premiership successive title The Norwegian boss, speaking at Celtic Park where he was helping publicise Celtic FC Foundation's award of £450,000 to help with a community project, spoke of how his side are playing with the freedom associated normally with budding footballers. He said: "We are in a very good place right now. You can see the players are happy, they love playing together. "They see the way they train and work benefits them on the pitch, the rhythm is coming more and more. "Players have to enjoy playing and look forward to every game, that's the way it should be. "When you see seven or eight-year-old girls or boys playing football you can see their enjoyment and I think you see that in our squad. "The only way players get better is when they are enjoying it. "We're one step closer (to the treble) but we have to keep performing and winning games." Celtic's fourth meeting with United in 14 days, however, has the potential to bring out another type of childish behaviour. The previous three clashes have brought six red cards - four for the Taysiders. Deila was angry with defender Ryan McGowan's dismissal in the second-last minute on Wednesday night for a lunge at substitute Liam Henderson in the corner, moments after Hoops striker Anthony Stokes was sent off for lashing out at Paul Paton and before Virgil van Dijk scored the fourth. The Celtic boss refuted Tannadice suggestions that McGowan's challenge was no worse than skipper Scott Brown's unpunished tackle on United striker Nadir Ciftci in the first Scottish Cup tie at Tannadice. At the replay defeat press conference Terrors' assistant manager Simon Donnelly made comparisons with both challenges. On his Twitter account McGowan said "Disappointing result! Fans were terrific again! Apologise to Liam if caught him but I'm sure got the ball first! Congratulations to Celtic." However, as far as the United full-back was concerned, Deila was not in conciliatory mood. He said: "It was not (similar). He took him from behind and (Brown's) was the middle of the pitch. "On the side of the pitch, nothing can happen. "You know he (McGowan) is angry before he does it so I don't agree with that. "Both sending offs were right. Stokes got a knock and was bleeding coming off the pitch but he reacted and that is not good. "But I don't understand why he (McGowan) is doing that. "It was a reaction, it was too much for him. "It is a stupid tackle and when you come from behind it is very dangerous. "Liam is okay. Football is important and to win is important but we have to protect each other as well. "My players put in hard tackles sometimes but we have to avoid the stupid ones."