But if there is room for more than a hint of suspicion that some of their number sought, precipitated and even caused Celtic fans to question the future of a Head Coach whose team is top of the Scottish Premiership, having won his only previous attempt, that does not, in itself, de-legitimise the entire discussion. (We can, however, discount anything Andy Walker has to say and would do well to do so.) Take the European campaign, for example.
I have often been disappointed, but never been embarrassed, to be a Celtic fan. I have, however, been embarrassed by Celtic on a rare few occasions – Neuchatel Xamax, Artmedia Bratislava (I won't go on) and almost the entire campaign of season 2015-to-before Christmas. We barely played a half-decent team.
We showed that several were there for the taking but, given that we were offering a two-goal handicap, we did not come up smelling of roses, but rather “fresh, stinking flowers” every time we got from bed. So, is Ronny a man for all seasons? Well, it's hard to say at this stage.
First, the positives: he seems like an all-round-good guy, which would usually carry its own forebodings. Many fans, not least your humble scribe, were impressed by his presentation on player development, in Norway, demonstrating a thinking man possessed of a rare degree of emotional intelligence.
And he did win the league, as well as the Whoever-the-Hell-Sponsors' League Cup. He assuredly was cheated out of a Scottish Cup final chance (although the performance was poor).
Those who think winning Scotland's top division with the highest player outlay is easy, may consider the tribulations of the new club with aspirations of winning the country's second-highest championship with the second-highest player spend.
But he is “tactically inept”, “out of his depth”, “makes unfathomable decisions”, “has a deplorable recent home record” and “isn't delivering the football we were promised”, according to increasingly vocal concerns. And, verily, he did appear to make both make a buffoon and a hero of Jo Inge Berget in different jerseys – the wrong way round.
Are there unanswered questions about Ronny?
Indeed there are. And, at this point, I will make a rare confession – I have no idea if he is capable of answering them.
My heart and sense of decency say to support him; my instinct and meagre appreciation of association football gnaws at me that he is on a downward trajectory towards the ignominy of Mowbrayism. And yet, there are other factors worthy of consideration.
When Ronny was appointed, it was a shock for good reason. He quite conspicuously lacked the accepted credentials for the job. Never mind the Celtic connection – there was no evidence that he had the experience to handle the pressure of a club of major stature encumbered with immodest expectations.
He looked like a punt presented as the smart choice. And, as often happens, the phenomenon of newly-clothed emperors requires people of taste and discernment to exalt in the sumptuousness that those of a certain calibre could hardly be expected to appreciate. And then there are the sort of guys who turn up at Celtic Park with placards saying, “Until Ronny, I was never happy”, uttering heaven-forfends at accusations of PR-stoogism, decrying ignorance of the Stone Roses.
Yes, Ronny has shortcomings and they may never acceptably lengthen. But, if he is indeed inept – and would Rod Stewart really have advocated his removal, while in the same breath volubly lauding his closeness to Celtic plc – why did the club take a chance on him?
In these times when the mantra is to “minimise risk” and avoid excess, thereby securing the future wellbeing of the club, why appoint a man who seems to offer little, other than the mentoring of Martin Ødegaard, to the most important role in the club, suggesting that he could oversee progress?
Could it really be that “buy-cheap-sell-high” is the driving force behind our club's great strategy?
The much-vaunted “plan” (which has changed since the days when signing players from our domestic rivals wasn't on-message) – is it just to make money on player-trading while keeping the baying mob of fans placated with domestic baubles and promises of deferred glories?
Would any manager or coach, previously considered qualified, have taken the Celtic job only to be landed with the discerned pickings of John Parks, hopeful that one would be valued in excess of £10m in order to tempt Southampton?
And could the current suits at Celtic be readying the club and fans for an unpalatable acquiescence to the “need” for a mismanaged club being allowed to gatecrash the top league with a strategy that they well know to be potentially disastrous?
If so, are they planning for a more experienced manager to give the club a better chance against a hell-bent-on-destruction-or-glory opponent? Such follysome speculation can only lead inexorably to madness.
There appear to be three major pertinent questions about Ronny Deila – should he remain, should he go and should he ever have been appointed.
If the answer to either of the latter two is negative, then there is another question: Why did he get the job? A convincing answer would be welcome before another appointment. If you are so-minded, you may get your scalp – but will you get a wiser head?
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