Monday 21 November 2016 19:08, UK
Ronny Deila has lifted the lid on his time as Celtic manager, revealing the demands of the job caused him to experience anxiety attacks.
The Norwegian, who succeeded Neil Lennon in 2014, led the Hoops to successive Scottish Premiership titles and one League Cup during his two-year spell at the club.
But a failure to qualify for the Champions League group stage during his reign saw pressure mount on Deila and the 41-year-old stepped down as Celtic manager at the end of last season, with Brendan Rodgers replacing him.
Deila told Norway's NRK television channel: "I could have a stressful thought like: 'We have to win this weekend.' Then I would be soaked in sweat, my heart would be pounding and head aching. I could wake up at four in the morning and couldn't fall asleep again.
"I almost got social anxiety, I was more passive. It took my freedom from me, the freedom to be myself. Then it became a question of values: can you do this for the rest of your life?"
Deila also admitted he underestimated the magnitude of the Celtic job after leaving Norwegian title winners Stromsgodset to take over from Lennon.
"But I would take the challenge at Celtic a thousand times again," said Deila, who is now in charge of Norwegian side Valerenga.
"With hindsight I see that I didn't have a chance to understand how big a club Celtic is.
"We have 10 million fans, plays 60 games a season. You have to win all the time. One loss leads to unrest, two are a disaster and three, you are fired. It's almost at that level.
"You do not get better by playing chess with your daughter for eight years. She gets better, not you. You have to go for something that is unsafe, where you do not know what's going to happen.
"That's the way you handle the different experiences that determine whether you are improving or not."
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