Ronny Deila is winning plaudits on all sides as the former Celtic manager thrives in the wake of losing key player Nicolas Raskin to former rivals Rangers.
The Norwegian has guided his Standard Liege side into top four contention in the Belgian top flight with a storming 4-2 win over Union Saint Gilloise at the weekend, who hadn't lost at home domestically since September. They were forced into cashing in on top talents Selim Amallah and Raskin in the winter window, with the latter joining Rangers with less than six months left on his deal in native territory.
No money was provided to bring in fresh faces but they still sit just a couple of points outside a championship play-off spot. It's got the Belgian media singing his praises, with top commentator Peter Vandenbempt telling Radio 1: "I raise my praise again for Standard and trainer Ronny Deila. Impressive what they did on the field of an unbeatable Union, which was unbeaten for 17 games. Perhaps what Deila does with the Reds is the most impressive of all trainers. It is a club without money that cannot make transfers, that has sold its best players such as Raskin and Amallah and could not replace them and still fight for the top four. That is strong.”
