text: Ronny Deila insists Celtic will not risk their Champions League aspirations by embarking on another gruelling pre-season travel schedule. The Norwegian blamed last summer’s money-spinning programme of games in the United States, Austria, Germany for a damaging 4-1 qualifying defeat to Legia Warsaw. Celtic command lucrative fees for pre-season commitments and have also taken on trips to Australia and the Far East in recent seasons. Ronny Deila and Nir Bitton walk off the pitch after losing to Legia Warsaw in Champions League qualifying . A return to America for this July has not yet been ruled out. With £16million on offer just for returning to the Champions League group stages, however, Deila says he has the blessing of chief executive Peter Lawwell to scale down this summer’s commitments. ‘It is not going to be the same,’ he said. ‘We are going to play less games, travel less and really prepare for those games. ‘I want to do it differently than we did it last year. I think we did way too much travelling and way too much games.’ Faced with over-turning the 4-1 first leg defeat in Warsaw last summer, Deila remained with his first team in Glasgow while a Celtic development squad suffered a 6-1 thrashing to Spurs in an exhibition game at Helsinki’s Olympic Stadium. ‘It is not positive to play games with half a team and lose 5-1 and 6-1,’ said the Celtic boss. ‘It is not positive for the confidence and the atmosphere in the club. We don’t like to lose. When we play we want to prepare as well as possible and that is going to be the main issue now in pre-season.’ A Celtic development squad were thrashed by Tottenham in a pre-season friendly last season . The SPFL champions recently secured a new kit deal with American manufacturers New Balance, raising the chances of a return to the States. Despite the financial attractions of a packed pre-season programme, however, Deila says he has backing from Lawwell to do most of the preparation in Scotland. ‘He is with me. We are on the same lines so that hasn’t been a problem. We are talking about the United States but then everything has to be perfect there. ‘We haven’t decided 100 per cent but I think we are going to stay here for the first 14 days and have games around here. We will have a couple of games that we go away to play, maybe two or three. So less travelling, more calm. Players will have been abroad on vacation and will come back and prepare the right way and play games here.’ Acknowledging at the same time that overseas trips generate cash for the club, Deila responded: ‘Yes, but there is more money in the Champions League.’ Deila says Celtic won't be travelling as much in pre-season as they look to qualify for the group stages .
target: Celtic travelled to the United States, Austria and Germany last pre-season .
  The Scottish club were then beaten in the Champions League by Legia .